![\"Duster](\"https:\/\/www.pdangelo.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Duster-4.jpg\")
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\nAl really loved this car and put his heart and soul into it, working on the project in his garage whenever he could find any spare time between school and work.
\nHe bought an expensive set of beautiful, custom chrome wheels and, upon them, mounted some seriously fat tires with raised white lettering that looked very cool.
\nAl beefed up the suspension, installed some heavy-duty gas shocks, and added a set of Cherry-Bomb mufflers that produced a deep, throaty rumble and sounded the balls.
\nHe rebuilt the engine and added headers, which increased the horsepower, and also installed a premium sound system.
\nAl kept the car\u2019s shiny, bright red paint polished and glistening, and he was constantly detailing both the exterior and interior, so the Duster always looked like it just came out of the showroom.
\nThat car was Al\u2019s pride a joy and the envy of many of our automobile enthusiast friends.
\nOne warm, spring day Al and I finished up classes at BC and were walking together from the upper campus to the lower parking lot, half-way down an extremely long set of stone steps on the side of a steep hill, when we heard the approaching, guttural growl of a custom exhaust system that immediately got our attention.
\nHalf way down the endless staircase, we saw a good looking, red sports car coming into view in the lower parking lot and Alfred said, rather matter of factly,\u201cWow, that\u2019s really a nice car\u2026 and it looks a lot like mine.\u201d
\nThere was a short beat before his eyes suddenly widened in recognition and Al screamed out, \u201cWAIT, THAT\u2019S MY FUCKING CAR!\u201d<\/em> and started running as fast as he possibly could down the stairs, leaping two or three steps at a time, with me following right behind him.
\nWe got to the bottom of the stairs just as the car drove past us with two black guys sitting in the front seat.
\nAl ran right towards them, waving his arms wildly and yelling at the top of his lungs, \u201cSTOP, YOU ASSHOLES! YOU\u2019RE STEALING MY FUCKING CAR!\u201d<\/em> but the two occupants just looked at him, laughed, smoked the tires, and took off at a high rate of speed towards the city of Boston.
\nWe were both huffing and puffing from our frantic run down the stairs as my good friend, Alfred, watched his prized possession disappear out of sight with an abject look of horror and dismay on his face, his mouth hanging open in utter disbelief.
\nYou can\u2019t imagine how incredibly bad I felt for my friend, because I knew how much hard work, hard-earned money, valuable time and sacrifice he had put into that car, and I could empathize with how absolutely devastated he must be feeling at that moment.
\nIf Alfred ever needed the support and sympathy of a friend, this was certainly it.
\nBut what do you say to someone under these devastating circumstances that could possibly be of any help?
\nHow do you comfort a close friend who has just suffered such a heartbreaking loss?
\nWhat words could one possibly come up with that might help soothe the enormous pain that my pal was suffering after his cherished car was stolen right in front of his eyes?
\nThis\u2026
\nI put my arm on my poor, distraught friend\u2019s shoulder, looked right into his teary eyes, and said, with great sincerity and compassion\u2026
\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Alfred\u2026 I got the license plate number.\u201d<\/em>
\nHe couldn\u2019t help himself and burst out laughing.
\nAfter all, that\u2019s what friends are for.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"