The Car With Bobby Socks

It seemed just a flash as I passed by, a shiny newer model golden-tan sedan turning on to Ustick. It appeared the chassis had been elevated a bit, above four wide white wall tires. I laughed out loud exclaiming, “A car with bobby socks! And a high water one at that!”

Having grown up in the 1950’s and ‘60’s, sounds and visions of Doo Wop, leather jackets, poodle skirts, penny loafers, and saddle shoes played on my mind like old movies at the drive-in theaters we frequented on lazy summer nights. Vinyl records, Chubby Checker, the Twist, Teen Canteen, American Bandstand, Blackjack gum . . . my heart warmed just thinking of that time. And covering everyone’s ankles were bobby socks. Remember? The white ones with the turned down cuff, “anklets” in today’s world. They were the standard. Every girl wore them, and it seemed all the guys wore white socks, too. We were very cool.

Over the years white socks became less popular as colors and patterns took center stage, white looking like a neon sign peeking out above one’s shoes, and especially when worn with dark trousers. Usually old people were the ones who clung to their white socks, and that was ok. But for us cool kids white socks ran their course, then ran away.

This car looked so odd, like seeing those snazzy white socks from long ago. White walled tires were the norm back in the day. Some more narrow striped, some wide. Put aside by car fashion gurus years ago, nary a white wall would be seen on the roadways for a long long time. A modern car sporting wide white walls was so surprising. Oh, to have a picture to share!

I lost sight of the car as I drove the opposite direction, but in its wake a lasting impression was left, and remembrances of treasured days awakened. I wondered at the owners of that car, and why their decision to jack it up high and give it socks. Maybe, just maybe, they, too, were (literally) driving down memory lane.