The Car (novel)

The Car is a 1993 novel by Gary Paulsen.

Plot summary

Terry Anders is a fourteen year old boy who lives in Cleveland, Ohio. His parents are constantly fighting and arguing. One day, his mom calls saying she has left his dad. During the evening of the same day, his dad calls saying he has left his mom. Therefore, Terry was left alone. Terry then built a car that his dad got from his job being a mechanic to drive to Oregon to live with an uncle. After his first day of driving, he comes upon a man named Waylon Jackson who was a Vietnam war veteran. Together they set out to Omaha to visit Waylon's friend, Wayne. When they arrive in Omaha, Wayne installs a turbocharger into the kit-car and he joins the journey on a Harley-Davidson he named Baby. They then travel to South Dakota to visit their friend, Samuel. Samuel is a very old man who speaks about random historical facts. While they were there, he talks about the Civil War and General Custer. Their next stop takes them to a small town, still in South Dakota. There, Waylon plays poker and wins $18,000. He then gives $6,000 each to Wayne and Terry. The threesome continues to travel west. In a fast-food place in Wyoming, they come upon four cocky bullriders. After taunting Waylon, he beats one of them up and rushes out to the car with Wayne and Terry. They continue west being chased by the bullriders. Eventually, they stop and proceed to beat the rest of them up. However, the police were on their trail so because they said that they can handle business and he should get away from the police due to being underage. Heading west for a little while, the novel ends as Terry turns around and decides to help out Waylon and Wayne.