Automobiles are in my blood.

My grandfather sold cars and was at one time — so I was told — the biggest dealer in the United States. (That was the product of a geographic quirk: His was the closest dealership to a major military base and as a result got the largest quota during World War II when sales were rationed.)

My father was an auto guy as well, selling cars his entire business career. He too benefited from a geographic quirk: His dealership was closest to NASA and when the space program was launched, General Motors gave Corvettes to the initial seven astronauts. He got to know all the astronauts and took care of their auto business; our house was full of NASA memorabilia and many of them were family friends.