The Love Bug Page #3

They make 10,000 cars.

They make 'em exactly the same way.

One or two of 'em turn out

to be something special.

Nobody knows why.

I know why.

I may be kiddin' myself,

but I think I can make somethin'

out of that sad little bucket of bolts.

Save these.

They'll be famous someday.

I'm your friend.

Wanna take a ride? I want to check

those adjustments I made last night.

- Okay.

- Be right with you.

Hey! Hey, come here!

All right, get outta there. Out!

Come on.

Who do you guys think you are?

Stop clownin' around,

will ya?

Play it straight.

Don't give him any trouble.

You could have

a good home here.

- What's all that racket, huh?

- Nothin'. Nothin'.

Oh. Hop in.

What'd I tell ya?

Now it handles good.

- All the bugs are gone.

- Herbie's all right.

- Who's Herbie?

- This little car.

Named after my Uncle Herb.

He used to box middleweight.

Preliminary, mostly.

Gradually, his nose got

shaped more and more...

like to remind me of this little car.

- Do you mind?

- Whatever you say, Tennessee.

Herbie.

- I'll take 'em.

- Thank you, sir.

- Now, what's that for?

- An oil job.

- Huh?

- I got a small knock in my conscience.

Thanks.

Now we get down to business.

- You gonna race?

- What do you think?

Oh, boy!

Won't Herbie love that!

Le Mans, Monte Carlo.

Thrills, glamour,

the roar of the crowd!

He really does drive.

If you could give me one good reason

for bringing me down...

to this ridiculous desert, I...

Isn't that the scruffy little car

we had in the shop?

Now we're goin'!

You're doin' terrific, Herbie,

but don't make it look too easy.

Play it smart.

Okay, Jim! Go ahead!

You're murderin' 'em!

So, who cares?

I'll tell you one thing.

I certainly don't intend

losing any sleep over that absurd car.

Come on. Come on!

Now, Herbie!

Now! Now!

The winner, #53:

Jim Douglas, driving a Class-D Special.

- Congratulations.

- Good race, Jim.

- Thanks, Ray.

- Boy, was Herbie ever great today.

I was out there too. Wouldn't you say

that was a fair piece of driving?

Hey, I'm not trying to take

anything away from you,

but you gotta admit that this little guy

backed you all the way.

Yeah.

It's a nice little car.

You know somethin' else?

For the first time in a long while,

I felt my real self out there.

A sense of authority like

the top drivers have, you know?

I kinda felt you felt that.

Tennessee, I wouldn't admit this

to anybody else, but...

I was beginnin' to think

I'd never be anything more

than a piston-happy, lead foot punk.

Then this starts to happen.

I'm glad for you, Jim.

You know that.

Well, hello.

I see you finally learned how to

handle this car. Congratulations.

- Thank you.

- What have you done to this thing?

Oh, an adjustment here,

an adjustment there.

You want to sell it back?

I own most of it anyway, you know.

Still 23 payments to go.

- Well, uh...

- I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll take the car and give you

$1,000 clear. What do you say?

No. You don't wanna do that.

It's all right, Tennessee.

I know what I'm doing.

I think Mr Thorndyke

is a little mixed up

as to who or what won that race.

- And what does that mean?

- Someday, I'll teach you...

not to confuse the car

with the driver.

I should welcome the opportunity.

Mr Thorndyke, I think

that's a very good idea of yours.

- What is?

- You're racing in the Libra Open...

- at Riverside

at the end of the month, right?

- Yes.

Well, I'm sure that

Mr Douglas would like to get...

- the remainder

of his payments off his back.

- No doubt.

But why should I think

that's a good idea?

Well, if Mr Douglas

entered the race,

he could bet his share of the little car

against the remaining payments.

What do you say, Douglas?

The winner to become

the sole owner of the car.

A moment ago, you mentioned

teaching me a lesson.

Do I now detect

a note of timidity?

Racing. That's the name

of the game, isn't it?

Win or lose.

Put up or shut up.

- You got yourself a deal, Thorndyke.

- Splendid.

The drivers' meeting is over.

Now, the third race of the afternoon...

will get under way

here at Riverside.

You keep your eye on your friend

in the Bug, my dear.

I'm going to squash him.

Clear the grid, please.

I can't help feelin' yippy.

If anything goes wrong,

we'll lose Herbie altogether.

- I thought you were the guy

with all the faith in this car.

- Yeah, I got it. Yeah.

And now the starter

has his flag in the air.

The engines are started,

and in just a moment,

we'll have the start.

All the cars looking

very smart on the grid.

Drivers in the first row

signifying that they're ready to race.

Their hands extended in the air.

The flag is up, and there they go!

Cars stretching out now. All cars off

the starting grid and through turn one.

Through the S's now.

Down the back straight, well by himself

now, is the #14 car of Thorndyke...

going into the sweeper turn.

The rest of the field well stretched out

as they charge down the back straight.

Not yet, Herbie!

Not yet!

The standings in lap 23: Thorndyke,

still leading; Lesser, running second;

and Erwin in third place.

Now, Herbie! Now!

Now, car #53... Douglas...

starts to make a move,

picking up cars

as he goes by car #20.

Into the sweeper,

very hard and fast.

Going through traffic,

passing #23 now...

is car #53... Douglas.

He has just come alive

and is making a challenge in this race.

Passing cars as he goes down

the back straight,

car #53... Douglas...

making his bid.

Into the straight now

is Thorndyke, car #14.

Now the pressure's on. Douglas in #53

is starting to close on Thorndyke, #14.

Douglas has just come alive...

and is pressing the leader now.

Now making his bid to pass,

but he can't get by.

He's being shut off

by Thorndyke in the #14 car.

Douglas goes slightly off course,

takes out some markers...

and apparently is out of control,

He crashes into the #4 shutoff marker.

Thorndyke continuing on

as the #53 car lets this one...

Now he's making

his reentry!

Look out!

- Hey, nice scoring, champ.

- Thank you very much.

Hey, what a champ.

Way to drive.

Just a moment, Mr Thorndyke.

You don't have...

I demand that this thing

is impounded and checked!

- I tell you there's more going

on here than meets the eye!

Muchas gracias,

seor.

Gracias.

A usted tambien.

Ya consigui un gorrito

el pelado!

Cmo est maestro?

Oye se re!

You don't look well

in these pictures lately.

How could I look well?

I haven't been able to sleep.

That rotten car

is driving me piffy!

Has it occurred to you

it may not be the rotten car?

- Perhaps it's the way Mr Douglas drives.

- Balderdash!

There isn't a driver in the world

who can get that speed

out of a car like that.

No, he's done something to it,

and I've got to find out what!

You've become obsessed

by this whole thing.

There are other cars, other races.

Why don't you just forget it?

My dear child,

how little you know me.

- Yes, Mr Thorndyke.

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