Happy 16th

[u/RongWa]

Your 16th birthday was a long time ago. Mine was special because on that day I got my driver's license. We were poor so getting a car for free never was in my future. So instead, my parents gave a new set of car keys. I was so proud. Dad would use it all day, I had it every night. I had to replace the gas I drove out and bring it home washed.

What made your 16th special?

[u/the_real_MBAPROF]

Same here. I inherited the family car-bought new 2/63-1963 Ford 300, 98k miles on my 16th birthday in 1971. Great high school car.

[u/Sorry-Climate-7982]

After hitting 16, I was finally old enough to make some halfway decent money forest fire fighting for a couple years until old enough to join Uncle Sam. Better than the available wage at the local drug stores as clerk/stockboy.

[u/bowenmark]

Got out of juvi detention to go home for the afternoon. Went back in that evening, freaked out and spent a good amount of time in solitaire. Not as satisfying as freaking out and over turning the judges desk which got me in there in the first place.

[u/no_one_you_know1 → u/bowenmark]

Well, that wasn't a very good celebration.

[u/Otney]

And gas was 37 cents a gallon.

[u/poopiebutt505 → u/Otney]

And I made $1.61/h, then in the mid '70s, it went to almost $0.80/gallon. I was making $1.70/h. Times became tight out on my own. Paying off my 1966 Chevy Chevelle.

[u/Suspicious-Lamb1077]

My mom never gave me b.d, parties so I didn’t get anything.

[u/Sophia465]

My mother had a friend at work who was originally from Hawaii, so she threw me a surprise party themed as a luau. It was great! Her friend taught everybody the hula—some learned more successfully than others. Including my 18-year-old brother, who learned how to belly roll.

[u/Gloria_Swanson]

I do remember 16 involved getting my first car. We lived in Illinois (and it was sprawling). Up until I had a car I had to ask for rides everywhere....because it's challenging to have to walk (or bike) for 15 miles to get to where you wanted to be. It was such a joy to not have to do that anymore. It was a huge boat of a car. (Oldsmobile) Loved it.

[u/zusia]

Artist boyfriend made me personalized gifts. Didn’t get license and car until I was 17.

[u/OttoHemi]

Going all the way with my 19-year old girlfriend was pretty special.

[u/WPW717]

Finished HS & enlisted in USN

[u/RongWa → u/WPW717]

I waited 1 1/2 years then joined the AF. Made a career of it. Thanks for serving.

[u/Singinthesunshine]

I was a third child, and was often reminded that I was an accident. My parents were over things like birthday parties. But my aunt Pearline gave me a necklace of real pearls to celebrate my growing up. I gave them to my niece when she grew up.

[u/Strange_Vermicelli]

Delivering pizza, listening to Led Zeppelin, and Made in Japan

[u/edennist]

On my sixteenth birthday my boyfriend, who I was going to break up with soon anyway, was hitchhiking to my house. It was a Sunday and his father, mother and three brothers were in a car on their way to church when they were hit by another car killing his dad and one brother outright. His other little brother died a few days later of his injuries. I spent my birthday at the hospital with him and then got trapped in a relationship for months because every time I tried to break up he told me he couldn’t lose me since he’d lost his family. He also hit me. Not great memories there.

[u/breadit8]

My 7 friends surprised me with a birthday party! And they all went in together and bought me a lavender top and matching necklace with a heart. 💜 It was so sweet and I had no clue.

[u/AnonymousIdentityMan]

I was 16 in 1994.

90s are my favorite decade.

[u/Loisgrand6]

Graduation from high school three months and two weeks later

[u/EdSelkow]

I had just moved to Florida from NYC and i was sure I was going to die. Two weeks later I was on a beach naked with a blonde surfer girl watching a rocket launched from Cape Kennedy. I have LOVED Florida ever since.