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| The Toyota Jump |
Back in the mid 1980s, I was crazy over the slogan featured in the Toyota car commercials, "Oh what a feeling! TOYOTA!" The commercials also included a crazy jump known as the "Toyota Jump."
I recall one particular school day, right before Christmas vacation, my mom sent me to school with two gift-wrapped bottles of wine for my fourth grade teacher. Just a tip folks -- if your kid's a knucklehead, it's probably not the best idea to send them to school carrying two bottles of wine.
I was kind of a joker as a kid -- actually that hasn't changed too much. One of my favorite jokes involved me reenacting the Toyota Jump for one of my classmates. On this particular day, I somehow forgot I was holding a very heavy paper bag with the two holiday wine bottles for my teacher. I jumped into the air yelling, "Oh oh oh oh what a feeling, TOYOTA!!!"
What happened next was a complete and total disaster. I like to call it, the Toyota Jump gone wrong ... The paper bags handle snapped and the bottles smashed hard against the tile floor. Red wine gushed all over the classroom floor. The classroom stank. Kids were holding their noses complaining about the broken glass and mess. Some helpful classmates grabbed paper towels and we tried to clean it before the teacher came into the room. The rest is a bit of a blur.
All I know is that day sucked. I remember thinking I had nothing to give my teacher for Christmas. I made a huge mess. And... I looked like the biggest FOURTH GRADE NOTHING ever. I'd say that goes down in history as one of my most embarrassing moments. That also marked the last time I ever did the Toyota Jump. Ever.
Watch this 1980s Toyota commercial -- at the very end you'll see a Toyota Jump in action.
