TAKE THE 4,000

TAKE THE 4,000 IT'S THE BEST YOU'RE GONNA GET TO SELL MY HUSBAND'S LINCOLN KEEP ME OUT OF THAT HOSPITAL THEN 4,000 IS BETTER THAN NOTHING MORNING MA'AM I CAME ABOUT THE LINCOLN YOU'RE TOO LATE TO SELL IT $4,000 4,000 THAT'S A PRETTY SPECIFIC NUMBER GOT THERE BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THIS LINCOLN IS WORTH I'D RATHER INSPECT IT BEFORE BELIEVING THIS 1976 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL MARK 4 WASN'T BECAUSE ELEANOR STOPPED LOVING IT SHE WAS SELLING BECAUSE ANOTHER HOSPITAL STAY COULD COST HAD LEFT BEFORE WE CONTINUE TELL ME WHERE YOU'RE WATCHING FROM TO KNOW HOW FAR THIS STORY ELEANOR PARKER WAS 84 YEARS OLD A RETIRED ELEMENTARY LIVING ALONE IN THE SAME HOUSE WITH HER HUSBAND RICHARD FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS A SUCCESSFUL HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING COMPANY FOR DECADES WHEN BUSINESS WAS THRIVING HE BOUGHT THE LINCOLN CONTINENTAL MARK FOR BRAND NEW DURING THE WEEK TO COMMERCIAL JOB SITES CLIENT MEETINGS AND BUSINESS APPOINTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY ON WEEKENDS IT BECAME ELEANOR'S FAVORITE PLACE TO SIT AS THEY DROVE DOWNTOWN FOR SHOPPING ATTENDED CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNINGS ARE DRESSED UP FOR ANNIVERSARY DINNERS AND CHARITY EVENTS THE LINCOLN WASN'T JUST A LUXURY IT REPRESENTED EVERYTHING THEY HAD BUILT THROUGH DECADES OF HARD WORK THEY BELIEVED RETIREMENT WOULD BE FILLED AND QUIET AFTERNOONS BEHIND THE WHEEL INSTEAD THE BUSINESS SLOWLY DECLINED DURING A DIFFICULT ECONOMY FORCING RICHARD TO SELL EQUIPMENT LAY OFF EMPLOYEES AND EVENTUALLY CLOSED HE HAD SPENT BUILDING NOT LONG AFTERWARD HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE THEIR RETIREMENT SAVINGS DISAPPEARED INTO SURGERIES DIALYSIS TREATMENTS MEDICATION AND HOSPITAL BILLS THE LINCOLN STOPPED TAKING THEM TO AND INSTEAD SAT QUIETLY BESIDE THE GARAGE FOR HIS LIFE AFTER HE PASSED ELEANOR COULDN'T BEAR TO DRIVE IT YEARS PASSED AND THE ONCE ELEGANT LINCOLN SLOWLY DISAPPEARED BENEATH DIRT MOSS LEAVES AND THEN ELEANOR RECEIVED ANOTHER SERIES OF HOSPITAL BILLS OF HER OWN AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND A SMALL PENSION SHE HAD NO FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF TREATMENT REPAIRING THE LINCOLN WASN'T EVEN AN OPTION SHE CONTACTED WARNED HER THAT SIMPLY TRANSPORTING INSPECTING CAR ROADWORTHY WOULD COST THOUSANDS OF SHE DIDN'T HAVE WITH NO OTHER CHOICE LINCOLN FOR SALE ONLINE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WITH $4,000 IN CASH HE POINTED AT THE FADED PAINT THE DEAD BATTERY THE FLAT TIRES THE MOSS COVERING THE VINYL ROOF AND THE YEARS INSISTING THE RESTORATION WOULD COST MORE THAN EVER BE WORTH ELEANOR WANTED TO BELIEVE HIM BECAUSE MONEY KNEW $4,000 WOULDN'T KEEP THE HOSPITAL FOR VERY LONG THE SAME ONLINE LISTING THAT MORNING AND DECIDED TO STOP BY BEFORE JOB THE MOMENT I LINCOLN I UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY HAD ARRIVED SO QUICKLY THAN A DECADE OF NEGLECT THE BODY REMAINED REMARKABLY STRAIGHT THE FACTORY CHROME THE ORIGINAL LUXURY INTERIOR WAS STILL THERE AND NEARLY EVERY MARK FOR FEATURE TOUCHED I COULDN'T SAY EXACTLY WHAT THE LINCOLN WAS WORTH IT DESERVED FAR BETTER THAN BECOMING SOMEONE ELSE'S BARGAIN I ASKED ELEANOR ONE CHANCE TO BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISION SHE AGREED WE CAREFULLY TRANSPORTED THE LINCOLN BACK TO AND SPENT THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS UNDOING MORE THAN NEGLECT THICK MOSS AND DIRT WERE SAFELY REMOVED THE FADED PAINT WAS CORRECTED AND EVERY PIECE OF CHROME WAS RESTORED THE ORIGINAL LEATHER INTERIOR WAS DEEP CLEANED AND CONDITIONED THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED THE BRAKES WERE REBUILT WORN MECHANICAL COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED AND AFTER A COMPLETE INSPECTION THE BIG FORD V8 CAME BACK TO LIFE THE SMOOTH QUIET RUMBLE IT HAD ONCE BEEN KNOWN FOR A WEEK LATER RESTORED LINCOLN BACK TO ELEANOR'S DRIVEWAY SHE STOOD SILENTLY HER EYES AS THE AFTERNOON SUN REFLECTED ACROSS EXACTLY THE WAY RICHARD PROUDLY DROVE IT HOME ALMOST 50 YEARS I THOUGHT THE STORY HAD FINALLY REACHED ITS ENDING BEAR PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AGAIN THIS TIME HE WASN'T CARRYING $4,000 HE SLOWLY WALKED AROUND THE LINCOLN OPENED HIS BRIEFCASE AND QUIETLY PLACED OFFER ON THE HUD ELEANOR LOOKED AT THE NUMBER FROZE AND WHISPERED THAT NOBODY HAD MUCH FOR THE CAR BEFORE US COULD RESPOND ANOTHER CLASSIC LINCOLN OF THE HOUSE AN OLDER COLLECTOR STEPPED OUT SMILED THE MOMENT HE SAW THE MARK FOR AND CALMLY SAID I HOPE NOBODY HAS SIGNED ANYTHING ANYTHING YET