Once upon a time, there were two little Fieros. They were both base coupes. Nothing spectacular. Audrey, a yellow t-top was number 20773 and Dukie, in metallic red was number 25568 of a total of 26401, built for the 1988 production year. Even though they rolled off the very same production line, they were about a month apart, so their paths never had a chance to cross. Audrey was shipped to a dealer in Massachusetts and Dukie sat on a dealer lot in New York until 1989. He was the last one left in inventory.
Although they both lived active lives, they were never truly happy. Dukie assumed the roll of daily driver and suffered through many upstate New York winters. Audrey never saw the inside of a garage and was auto crossed regularly.
In the fall of 2001, Dukie fell very seriously ill, nearly losing a rear wheel to cancer. His owner worked desperately, night and day to save him. After spending the entire winter up on blocks, undergoing major reconstructive surgery, he was finally cured of all disease and rolled back on the road, as good as new for the spring of 2002. Even though he was feeling fit as ever, being “born again”, there was still something very important lacking in his life.
Spring of 2003 finally brought a big turn of events for Dukie. Audrey, the little yellow t-top, now with 113,000 hard miles on her moved from her home on Cape Cod to come live in New York State. The wife of Dukie’s owner and mechanic decided that it was time for her to share in a little Fiero fun too. Dukie will never forget the evening that they first met. It was around 6:30pm, on the night of Sunday, May 4th, 2003. She pulled up on the front lawn of her new home and parked right next to him. They sat there side by side all night long. The air was cool and damp but the moon was full. They talked for hours, long into the night. Dukie had never seen anything quite like her before. She had low profile tires and the racing stickers gave her a sort of mysterious yet exotic look. He wasn’t quite sure what to expect from her.
She had been driven hard and was in need of a little cosmetic surgery, but the classic shape was unmistakable. Boy, with that t-top out…! It was love at first sight. Dukie’s heart soared. As the weeks rolled by, there was so much that they shared. They were side by side on the driveway, and in the garage. Sometimes, when she was driven to work she would park beside Dukie in the parking lot. They loved going out together in public. They would always cruise town and then race through the country on their way home. Dukie was so proud to be seen with her. She was so beautiful.
It didn’t stop there. Little by little, she was being restored. Her engine sparkled and all of the oil leaks were sealed. With her new clutch and interior, she was absolutely stunning and after being together so much, they quickly became soul mates. They shared common interests too. Dukie’s favorite memory was going away on their honeymoon together. They both attended the Fiero’s in New England show and both brought home trophies. They were so much in love and Dukie thought that it would never end.
One day though, disaster struck. Dukie learned that their owners were getting a divorce. He grieved for weeks that he would never see her again. He was so heartsick one night that he tried to end it all by driving through the garage door. He mourned her loss for months.
His owner registered him for the show in Carlisle, this spring but it just won’t be the same without her. He’s just not taking very good care of himself any more. Now his headliner sags, he needs a new exhaust and the front license plate bracket is still broken from his suicide attempt. Sure, he still gets out every day but it just isn’t the same. His owner has been kind of unstable too. He has driven Dukie harder than ever. His speedometer pushed way past the 85 mark, till it was buried in the trip meter. And his back end is bruised from rear-ending a show bank.
Audrey too, is not very happy. She knows that she will probably never see a garage again for the rest of her days and she misses Dukie’s company. Most of the time, she sits in town, behind a little three-room apartment. Her once sparkling engine is covered with dust and her t-top leaks water all over the passenger seat whenever it rains. She can’t remember the last time she was washed. Since her owner, no longer lives with her mechanic, all of the rest of her restoration parts are stored in the basement of her old run down apartment house. She still thinks of Dukie every night and Dukie just can’t get Audrey off his mind. Last night, they both sat out under the same full moon, just three miles apart. Dukie wonders if their owners will ever get their heads back on straight again. He can only dream. He and Audrey are working very hard to keep that bond alive. It seems that as long as their owners are Fiero obsessed, there still may be hope.
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[This message has been edited by Gordo (edited 05-02-2004).]
Sounds like a bit more than just Fiero's here... Although it is an entertaining story, and a great write-up, I wish YOU the best of luck in resolving any potential issues. One thing you could always do is print this up, and give it to Audrey so that she knows that she is still loved.
I am pretty sure Dukie would appreciate any efforts made to re-unite the two.
How are you feeling buddy. All your wounds heal up okay, well, except for that broken heart that is. You know if you ever need to vent, scream or yell at someone, just pm me. I'll be hear to listen. No advice, just an ear to beat on. First and foremost........take care of yourself!!! You won't do, YOU, Dukie, Ellen or Audrey any good if you can't work on them.
You know how I feel. I really wish you would have learned from that almost fatal night. There are people who care about you on this forum and we wouldn't want anything to happen to you or Dukie. Maybe he will find another Fiero to love that will love him back just as much as you love her.
Take care,
Dar
Audrey if you are out there reading this.....have a heart girl, either leave him alone or come back to him. It can't be both ways.....
[This message has been edited by fierogirls-mom (edited 05-02-2004).]
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04:44 PM
avengador1 Member
Posts: 35468 From: Orlando, Florida Registered: Oct 2001
Gordo, buddy, I know you are still going through trying times. You need to forget Big Red for now and get on with your life. If Big Red truly loves you, she will come back for good unconditionally. If she is unwilling to do this, you will need to move on. You can only mourn for so long or you will go insane. Try a dating service, just to go out with other women, it might take your mind off Big Red. Hang in there Buddy. We hope to see you at Carlisle, being with fellow Fiero owners will do you a world of good, plus it will help you unload some of that burden you are carrying..
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09:10 PM
May 12th, 2004
BigRed88 Member
Posts: 839 From: East Guilford, NY Registered: Apr 2003
Most stories that begin with “Once upon a time…” end with “and they lived happily ever after”.
They also include a moral.
The “Fiero Tale” of Dukie and Audrey developed over the course of a year. That year also included adopted brothers and sisters, namely seven. Their names are Alien, Christine, Frankenstein, Donor, Silver Donor, Lady Bug and The Party Wagon. The Fiero Ranch on which all resided was part of a dream conceived and developed by Dukie and Audrey’s owners…together.
The story of their owners developed over the course of twenty-seven years. Dukie’s owner had an innate mechanical aptitude, Audrey’s owner an uncompromising sense of attention to detail.
For some inexplicable reason, Dukie and Audrey found themselves driving without a map, up and down one-way streets, always finding themselves on a dead-end road…or so they thought.
Dukie had to come to recognize and appreciate that without Audrey’s attention to detail, and Audrey to recognize and appreciate that without Dukie’s ability to take care of her, they would eventually turn to nothing more than tattered fabric and rust. They had much in common, and were designed the same. However, Dukie was more subdued, Audrey a brighter color with a much louder stereo and removable roof! They found that they complimented each other and came to terms with not only their similarities, but also their differences.
Today, Dukie put down his wrench and Audrey her chamois. Audrey pulled up the driveway and parked right next to Dukie again. I wish you could have seen the smile on their fascias.
The moral of this story is the borrowed adage…“We may not have it all together, but together we have it all”.
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[This message has been edited by BigRed88 (edited 05-12-2004).]
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03:15 PM
Synthesis Member
Posts: 12207 From: Jordan, MN Registered: Feb 2002
I am glad that you two have worked it out to this point. The going can get very tough. I know, I still love my ex-wife, but we have too many issues that need to be worked out at the moment.
Remember this. Whenever you guys have problems, it is harder to talk to each other about those problems than it is to argue and storm off. BUT, the hard road leads to better rewards.
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03:44 PM
naskie18 Member
Posts: 6258 From: Commerce Twp, MI, USA Registered: Jun 2002
They decided that maybe, just maybe, they should attempt to write another chapter to their story. Perhaps they should attempt Carlisle again this year. Last year, only Dukie went. At that point in time, Audrey had not yet come into the picture of Dukies owner and his mates lives.
With only one weekend between now and the event, and with what remaining energy is left after what both have endured, it would require a major amount of effort on both of their parts to pull it off.
Decisions and compromises would need to be made...take Dukie? Take Audrey? Take both? Just Dukie...just Audrey? What if they attended just to absorb and appreciate everyone ELSES love of the little car and THEIR owners efforts?
I must admit that howvever impossible it is to explain, Dukie and Audrey's owners somehow remained connected through their cars, and the love of the FIero. Even though the differences between them surfaced, and at times all seemed hopeless, they could not totally put one another out of each other's minds.
Dukie and Audrey's owners NEVER did do anything "by the book". The decision of attending the show was made, a room booked, and a good time might just be had by all!
Hope to see you there!
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11:42 PM
Synthesis Member
Posts: 12207 From: Jordan, MN Registered: Feb 2002
Dukie and Audrey's owners somehow remained connected through their cars, and the love of the FIero. Even though the differences between them surfaced, and at times all seemed hopeless, they could not totally put one another out of each other's minds.
Dukie and Audrey's owners NEVER did do anything "by the book". The decision of attending the show was made, a room booked, and a good time might just be had by all!
Hope to see you there!
Although all of the basic elements of the ending of the story still remain very true, there can be no true ending as life still continues. we will not be attending Carlisle this year. Once again, a bizzare twist of events has removed Audrey from Dukie's world and he just can't seem to make the trip alone. He did the best that he could to keep his owners together but after all, he is just a car.
Dukie is looking forward to the F.I.N.E. show no matter what. He hopes to see all of his other Fiero friends there! Still, there is much Fiero news that is still unfolding out at Dukie's home, the "Fiero Ranch" It seems that Fiero number 10 has come to stay, at least for awhile. We will post picks soon of his new found friend and also picks of the impossible project under way.
Best wishes to all of our good friends on the forum and at the shows. We do hope to see you in the near future. We are looking forward to all of the pictures.
I was hoping that wasn't what happened when I didn't see you at Carlisle. I'm sorry Gordon, I know how much you wanted it! You know where I am if you need to talk.
Oddly enough, throughout all of the madness, Dukie found a new friend. While his owners were back together, they came across an offer that they couldn't refuse.
Yes, can Dukie find happiness in the love of an "older woman"? Only time will tell.
This is the latest addition to the Fieroranch. It's an 85 GT in incredible condition. It's been garage kept and never seen winter. There is no chassis rust at all. It needs a little TLC but could easily be show worthy.
FYI, here is a photo of our back yard. How many Fieros can you find?
Of course, BigRed88's yellow coupe is gone again but there are still nine left.
BigRed... we all miss you. Best wishes to you wherever your wheels may lead you!
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08:41 PM
May 24th, 2004
BigRed88 Member
Posts: 839 From: East Guilford, NY Registered: Apr 2003
For whatever, desparately attempting to not point a finger reason, HE DID NEGLECT to mention in his post featuring pics of Dukie next to "Synthesis" that it was MY purchase, MY Fiero. This was the very first car that I EVER purchased ALL BY MYSELF, including talking the owner down $1,400 because I knew enough about Fiero's (yes, credit given to Dukie's owner) to pick him up and "close the deal".
Dukie and Audrey's soap opera continues.
This past weekend, Audrey took a road trip and returned to her home, Cape Cod. Audrey performed as if in a dream, and her owner once again recognized that without Dukie's owner's mechanical ability, she would no longer be. However, Audrey's owner is still trying to sort things out, and Dukie's owner has laid on the ultimatum that Audrey's owner MUST choose between what she needs from an emotional vs. financial security standpont, and someone that just let's her be vs. expectations of who she should be.
Synthesis was offered for purchase to Dukie's owner after she was told that he could not help her accomplish the necessary mechanical work required. Because Audrey's owner lacks the necessary mechanical skills, she may have to give him up because she is unable to bring him back to life without the availability of drawing on a 27 year friendship, one that she was led to believe that you looked out for one another, no matter what.
To be continued...
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12:52 AM
Gordo Member
Posts: 2981 From: East Guilford, NY, USA Registered: Mar 2002
However, Audrey's owner is still trying to sort things out, and Dukie's owner has laid on the ultimatum that Audrey's owner MUST choose between what she needs from an emotional vs. financial security standpont, and someone that just let's her be vs. expectations of who she should be.
Dukie's owner no longer has any expectations of Audrey's owner. He prefers to "just let you be". He is not just a bank and a mechanic. He has feelings too. You are free to seek your emotional support wherever your heart may lead you.
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01:07 AM
Synthesis Member
Posts: 12207 From: Jordan, MN Registered: Feb 2002
There's Fiero parts all over the damn yard (which needs mowing, by the way), and a man in brown shorts keeps coming to the door with packages, so consequently, there's Fiero parts all over the inside of the house, too!
It's absolute mayhem.
Ain't life grand?
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12:20 AM
pokeyfiero Member
Posts: 16233 From: Free America! Registered: Dec 2003
There's Fiero parts all over the damn yard (which needs mowing, by the way), and a man in brown shorts keeps coming to the door with packages, so consequently, there's Fiero parts all over the inside of the house, too!
It's absolute mayhem.
Ain't life grand?
Is this good or bad.I lost track.
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12:48 AM
BigRed88 Member
Posts: 839 From: East Guilford, NY Registered: Apr 2003
I guess I didn't read BigRed88s last posts till now....
Well, it seems that Dukie is trying to get on with his life alone. Audrey is gone and His new Fiero friend Synthesis has a death rattle from deep within the bowels of her engine. Even his best pal, the 87 GT project car is dead with a suspected hole in his piston. Although he is quite alone in the world, he still isn't giving up hope of finding true love again someday...
Dukie needs time to heal and has asked Audrey to stay out of his driveway and not make the daily calls to him on his cell phone. It seems that Audrey is still in love with a 1976 Ford pickup truck and since this is the case, he isn't sure why she still seems to need him except that being a Fiero himself, he is an excelent mechanic. She only comes home when she needs a repair. (new alternator, clutch master cylander, rockerpanel etc.) Audrey has made many promises to him but just can't seem to follow through so Dukie is trying to regain his health. This weekend, his owner is re-covering his sagging headliner (along with the one in synthesis and the GT project car). His owner tells him that working on cars can be a good distraction from the troubles of every day life.
