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Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, and Jesus Christ—these are the three most significant figures in Joanna Blackburn’s life.
Known as Joey in the Tallapoosa community, Joanna worked as a pharmacist at the local Walmart, where she earned a reputation as a beloved figure for her affection for the community and her engaging conversations.
Joanna’s job might have seemed straightforward at first: avoid pill theft, refrain from coming to work under the influence, be friendly—especially towards elderly customers—and stay focused on the task at hand. In Tallapoosa, where many people had strong ties to one another, she was expected to be not only conversational but genuinely warm and friendly to everyone.
Though Joanna wasn’t a regular churchgoer, she cherished her interactions with the community. In 2002, a special gesture from an 85-year-old customer, a man who had visited her since her first day on the job, came in the form of a $2,000 check, inspired by the daily kindness she showed him through simple, heartfelt conversations.
With that money, she received a ten-year-old Chrysler LeBaron convertible that had only 42,000 miles on its odometer. This last model of the LeBaron came equipped with features typical of a 1990s vehicle, such as cruise control, anti-lock brakes, a 3.0-liter V6 engine, alloy wheels, and a premium sound system—a true slice of Americana.
Today, many who have never experienced the LeBaron might dismiss it as an unremarkable car, but they would be mistaken. The 1994 Chrysler LeBaron was perfectly suited for cruising, and Joanna delighted in taking long drives along State Route 120 while avoiding tight parking spots that could risk damage to her vehicle.
Initially, Joanna intended to use the LeBaron only for summer outings. However, as summer turned to autumn, she found herself driving it every day, enjoying the way the leaves danced around her convertible. Meanwhile, an older 1985 Toyota Camry sat unused in her garage. But Joanna relished the freedom of the open-top experience, and the pleasant Georgia weather made her adopt the LeBaron as her primary “fair-weather ride.”
Over time, the LeBaron began to show signs of wear. When the fabric seats sagged, she inserted small pillows from a yard sale for support. After the seats tore again, she found floral covers at Walmart for just $15. Joanna managed with these temporary fixes until a local junkyard offered her a nicer set of seats and new alloy wheels for $200. Five years later, however, the pillows were back in action.
When the dashboard cracked on the driver’s side, Joanna chose to ignore it. As a form of penance for her automotive neglect, she hung a wooden cross on her rearview mirror and replaced the convertible top.
Remarkably, the cracking ceased, and to this day Joanna attributes this miracle to the wooden cross and Dolly Parton’s Greatest Hits, believing they brought about heavenly intervention.
Currently, the LeBaron boasts 292,865 miles—a testament to what Joanna terms her “eternal salvation.” The car remains a cherished possession, with an engine and transmission that still run smoothly, and a cassette tape deck loaded with Dolly Parton songs that might even exceed Dolly’s own collection. It embodies a piece of American heritage.
Joanna has no plans to sell it anytime soon. She understands that sometimes, the cars worth holding onto are those that reveal their real beauty to a dedicated owner.
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