EPISODE 121 SHORT PERIOD OF PURE TERROR AT 120 MPH
(120 mph is a guesstimate)
alan skeoch
Sept. 2020
BELOW are three 1954 pictures of the Oldsmobile 88. The first picture was included
because of the girl. Sexy. Bill’s Olds 88 was black as I remember.
Bill Mashtalar was the biggest boy in our Grade 8 class picture. I never knew him
really well but did consider him one of my friends. His parents were Polish and
lived in a grand home a few blocks away. They must have had good jobs
because the bought a big brand new Oldsmobile 88 about the time Bill and
I were in Grade Eleven.
“Alan, do you want to go for a ride?”
‘In your new car?”
“Of course, just got my licence…we could go down
to High Park and see what’s happening at night.”
“How?”
“The Oldsmobile has a search light on it…we can sneak up on
lovers and catch them in the sudden beam…should be fun.”
“Dangerous?”
“Nah! They’ll think we’re cops.”
Now the idea did not particularly appeal to me at the time
but I was reticent to refuse since this was a big moment for
Bill…getting his licence and all. So away we went in the
darkness of a fall evening. Maybe ten o’clock. About the
right time for sexual activity to be at a peak.
Bill drove slowly. Low beams. Until he spotted a car
pulled off the roadway in High Park. Well off the roadway
and therefore a likely candidate for the spotlight beam.
Bill slowed down, switched off his low beams…crept up to
where the target had left the road and then BOOM…
on came the hand held searchlight…soon focused
on the suspect.
Not lovers. A bunch of guys drinking.
“What the fuck! You bastards!”…A string of solid obscenities
direct our way.
These guys did not think we were cops.
“Quick, let’s get the bastards!”…and four or five guys leapt
into their car and slammed it into reverse.
They wanted to get us…and it was our fault. If caught,
the result would not be pretty.
The chase was on. Bill switched on the lights and
accelerated as much as was possible on the High
Park road. Down by Howard House with its cannon aimed
out at imaginary invaders. Hard right turn onto the Queensway
then a left fn right onto Lakeshore.
The QEW was open at night…clear running…and the Olds 88 was opened up full throttle. This pictures shows
the QEW at rush hour in 1954.
“We’ll get on the QEW. Speed up…”
“They are right behind us.”
“Pray we have green lights to the QEW…we cannot stop.”
We were lucky…all green. We sped up he QEW ramp…accelerating.
No traffic. “Where are they now?”
“Right behind us…catching up.”
“I’ll open her up…” Speeding…90…100…110…heading
for 120 mph. Fast and getting faster.
“Where are they now?”
“Dropping back…Lucky we have this Olds.”
“Where will we go?”
“Beyond Highway 27…maybe as far as Highway 10, Port Credit.”
“How will we get home?”
“Slow…Lakeshoe Road and side streets “
“Maybe up to Bloor…then home.”
Tail between our legs…
We got home. Exhausted. Not much to say to each
other. Really embarrassed and lucky.
So I have always had a softs spot for those Oldsmobile’s…88’s
and 98’s.
Now long gone.
alan skeoch
Sept. 2020
P.S. There were others in the car but I cannot remember who
they were. We were all shaken. We were not fighters.