49T

Some families hand down jewelry, houses, furniture, and other valuables. My family consigns the love of a license plate – 49T.

It started somewhere in the 50s when my father received the number from a Massachusetts Governor, which he kept until he was ready to retire to Florida. In MA you can only pass a vanity plate onto a relative, and although my cousin Frank pushed to be the lucky recipient, I as adored daughter won out over the much cared for cousin. My father in turn asked for and received the plate 49T in Florida. He loved big cars, I loved small cars and when our two vehicles were parked side-by-side, it looked like a boat and a dinghy with matching plates. His 49T is still on my Mom’s car.

When I moved to France I missed the plate. My then French lover had a fake French license plate made up as 49T as a joke but appreciated gift.

Vanity plates do not exist in Switzerland, and for the last 12 years I have not owned a car so 49T was filed in memory until yesterday when my daughter in her email announced she was going to try and get the plate 49T in her new home in Virginia. Family traditions may make sense only to family members, but I know if my father were still alive he would be flashing that grin that I loved so much.