7.07.2011

If You Were Short ... You Couldn't Drive Pete's Car

Apologies to my brother-in-law Mark in advance ... but this is too precious not to share:

When Peter wasn't working on his car or repainting it, he would bring it to a garage where his friends would do some work on it.

Peter's neice, Marie's husband is Mark. One day, Pete called the house and asked if someone could go to the garage and pick up his car for him. Mark was home so he said yes and took a bus to the garage, got the keys and went to the car.

Now, I think here I have to explain that while Peter was 6'7", Mark is about 5'7" tall. Peter hovers a full foot at least over Mark.


Peter with Mark and Cathy in Staten Island


So, Mark opens the car, and crawls into the seat. His feet didn't even come close to the pedals. He couldn't even reach the steering wheel. He gets back out and tries to adjust the seat, but it won't budge because the seat is soddered to the floor. Mark gets back into the car and sits on the tippy edge of the seat and he can almost reach the pedals, but now he can't see over the steering wheel.

Mark doesn't want Pete to be disappointed in him. So, he bent his legs, balanced himself behind the wheel in a crouched, half sitting, half standing position. If he held onto the wheel tightly he could push his right foot onto the gas and brake,  and he could see over the steering wheel. Mark started the car up, and SLOWLY pressed on the gas with his right foot while trying to balance himself with his left while driving the car. If anyone saw him, they would have thought a baby was stealing a giant's car. He rode that way to Pete's house, hoping like hell he didn't have to slam on the brakes because he would have lost his balance and smashed the car. When he pulled the car to the curb in front of Pete's house, Mark could barely get out of the car. The muscles in his legs were so tired from being in this weird position, and his arms and neck were stiff from trying to balance himself and drive.

We always wondered if Pete was playing a joke on Mark, knowing full well that he was NEVER going to be able to drive his car. How Peter laughed when Mark told him how he drove the car. Then, whenever Pete saw Mark, he would hum and sing the words to "Short People" as a constant reminder of the adventures of Mark and Pete's Mad Max car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBrAh3OyYnI&feature=related

32 comments:

  1. Oh this is precious! Thank you!

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    1. i love these stories. we put these celebrities on pedestals; worship them, hate them.. and they really are just people. people with moms, siblings, cats, car trouble.. Thanksgiving dinners.. i had an experience with a 'rock star' at a Christmas dinner with my girlfriend and her 'rock star' brother.. her dad and his mom were married. he was nice to me and I'll never forget that. he could've been a pompous arrogant dick, 'the cool guy' but he wasn't and that matters. music was his job and Christmas was with his mom, period. i think ultimately, they want both.. the success in an awesome job and sometimes just go home and fish with dad. i could ramble on but i think the point is made. they perform for thousands every day but when the show is over, there's a handful of people that they think about, that matter to them and vice-versa. you miss 'em a lot more when you realize they are just people. we're all.. just people. bless the family for whom this will never go away.

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  2. Poor Mark!!! He must've been scared to death! LOL!! This is a beautiful photo...you can see how content Peter looked when he was with his family.

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  3. This has to be one of my favorite stories to date. Pete's car was like a carnival ride, there's a height requirement, lol! This reminds me when my girlfriend picked my truck up from the shop, the seat was broke and couldn't be adjusted, now I'm 6'1 and she's 5'3 and had the same problem although not as bad as Mark had it. This post provided me with a much needed laugh this morning! Thanks again. (-)

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  4. I was just wondering if Mark ended up getting that car?

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  5. LOL! OMG this is classic! I love it. I can see Marks very akward position trying to drive. I am 5'2", so I can sympathize! Love ya Pete, you're the best! :)
    -Kristen

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  6. Oh wow, yeah, I can see him doing that just to test little Mark. ;)

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  7. nice picture and I liked the story
    thanks :-)

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  8. Ha, wish there was a photo of him drivint Peters car....

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  9. Mark Paulicelli9:19 AM, July 07, 2011

    I love this story I remember it like it was yesterday these are the stories I remember about Peter the jokester the prankster and always made me feel like family I cherish these stories and my thoughts of Peter Thank You for sharing this story and bringing back great memories

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  10. OMG....So funny!!! What a great visual I have in my head of Mark driving Pete's huge car! Great pic of Pete Mark and Cathy too : ) x

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  11. This story is so funny and sweet. I laughed right along with Peter on this one. IMagining Mark driving that car and yes I think Peter knew. Funny to see the height difference. Wow he was so tall. This picture is so sweet. Seeing you all and with Peter well my heart is full of love for you all. LIke we're your family too. We feel this right along with you. The laughter the tears. We're with you. Thank you again for making my morning more special. I just ordered by memorial Peter Steele Tshirt on line. Peace to you all.

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  12. Hi Darcie--

    This is mint--I was in tears from laughing so hard! :) Thanks for sharing.

    Love & Gratitude--Patty P

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  13. How did Peter keep up with himself? All those projects, the many crafts and trades, what didn't he do? Seriously? Pete covered everything in art! I hope for "the love of Pete" that he is remembered as a Renaissance man, like the bigger, better, and badder Picasso. Although, Picasso has nothing on Peter. Go team Pete! God bless you Ratajczyk Family! I also have a question that has always tickled me, and I can understand not answering... but who is Elizabeth from the Origin's liner notes, to Love you to Death, and September Sun. Was Pete married? Thank you, God bless.

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  14. it´s so lovely... Great!

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  15. • Ringo Starr
    Don't forget to join the wave of Peace & Love as it continues this July 7, 2011

    Whether you say it along with a crowd, out loud as you go about your day, Tweet it or simply think the words, we hope you will join Ringo, on his birthday, in celebrating “Peace & Love” wherever you are at Noon your local time.

    PEACE AND LOVE TO THE RATAJCZYK FAMILY.

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  16. A very funny story. I bet it was Peter's joke. How cool it must have been to drive that car but scary. Was it even road legal? I bet it never went up for inspection. I bet Mark was wondering what the hell he got himself into while driving to Peter's like a contortionist. I can imagine the headline should he have crashed, "Man driving the Jolly Green Giant's Mad Max mobile crashes in Brooklyn." Too funny... ----Jessica (Black Number 1)

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  17. Mark Paulicelli6:35 PM, July 07, 2011

    I Love This Story Cant Stop Reading it Thank you to The Family For Sharing it And Including My great memories with Peter On Here Love You All And I Love And Miss Peter Very Much........

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  18. The visual is hysterical. I bet the cops would have stopped him if they saw him, that would have been a funny story back at the police station. I can't believe Mark could actually drive the beast. Yeah I wonder if Peter was playing a joke on Mark.
    Darcie ,the Peters Car blog is coming up on my computer with 0 comments.

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  19. lol...awwwwww poor guy...hope Peter appreciated that he got his car for him.lol..sooo love your stories...makes me wonder as I watched a bit of americas home videos a bit ago if any of you had any videos with alot of classic Peter moments. I still think ya all should do like a documentary on the life and times of Peter Steele. would love seeing footage of what family life was like with Peter.sounds like ya all had alot of fun with him around..lol. did Peter ever do a evil grin when he was up to something??..I know mine did..lol. anyways...another good story..had me so laughing too..lol..cause my mom is kind of like that when she has to drive my dads car..lol..my dad is around 6 ft and my mom around 5 ft something..she has to put a pillow behind her sometimes in order to be able to push the gas and break pedals and shes like.. I hate this damn car...lol. funny though her vehicle is a van which at times looks bigger than she is..lol. she still is able to drive it though..thank goodness for those automated adjustable seats they have now days.
    looking forward to the next Peter moment story.till then ya all take good care over there.play and stay safe.

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  20. I love this blog and am so entertained by the stories !! It is great to know this larger, than life man was an ordinary guy with an extraordinary heart. Even though he has gone on to a better place (and one can only imagine the mischief he is getting into there), these stories, videos, photos, and people will keep him alive for years to come !!

    Take care,

    Karen from NC

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  21. LMAO...This is great! That would have been a sight to see.... poor mark. I know how it feels to be short and let me tell ya it sucks. I'm only 4'11 so it really sucks ass. It's pretty sad that i have to ask my kids or my husband to get things for me, due to the fact that i can't reach a lot of things..lol My husband is 6'4 so there is a big difference in height between us, when i get into our jeep i have to pull the seat all the way to the steering wheel so that i can reach the pedals. God forbid i if i ever get into an accident cause i would probably come out boobless..lol Those girls would be seriously deflated! I have to make sure to remember to put the seat back as well as the rear view mirror when i'm done cause i have made the mistake a time or two forgetting and when my husband went to get into the jeep i could hear him cussing and saying..Jesus windy ya trying to kill me! HeeHee... This is a wonderful story as well as the pictures thank you for sharing :)

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  22. Hi guys--

    Thanks to Mark for letting Darcie share this story with us. Gives us even more insight into Peter's life. Especially when we can put a name to a face.

    Love & Gratitude--Patty P

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  23. Sending massive bravery cudo's-points to Mark! LMAO!!!!!!!

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  24. THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE POST BUT I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO TYPE O AND THINKING ABOUT PETER. I REMEMBER AN INTERVIEW, WHERE I BELIEVE IT WAS KENNY, WHO SAID PETER JUST HAD TO CREATE MUSIC-IT WAS JUST INSIDE OF HIM. HE OFTEN SPOKE OF HIS TIME WITH THE PARKS DEPT., AND I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER, IF HE HAD NEVER BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH TYPE O, COULD HE HAVE JUST BEEN HAPPY WORKING FOR THE PARKS DEPT? I WOULD NEVER WISH AWAY THE GREAT MUSIC OF TYPE O NEGATIVE, I GUESS I AM JUST WONDERING IF THERE ARE ANY GOOD PARKS STORIES OUT THERE REGARDING HIS TIME IN THE PARKS DEPT.
    THANK YOU AGAIN - NADINE

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  25. Nadine: While Pete often talked about going back to Parks Dept ... all the time infact ... he would have been ok working there because as he said, it was the best job in the world. But we can only assume he would have done some other expression of art ... maybe he would have done more with his drawing or painting. Or maybe he would have continued to have a band and play on the weekends locally.

    we don't know ... we can only speculate.

    thanks for commenting as always.

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  26. Rosermarie from NY1:26 PM, July 09, 2011

    Alright!! Bad Ass!! That's why I always loved Mel Gibson. I don't know anyone who could have played Mad Max better. Bad asses are so sexy. Peter tooling around Brooklyn very sexy and bad ass. I can see it now. That car, that big man. Watch out!! I gotta rent this movie again. Ratajczyk Family you're touching every emotion in me with these stories. We're family now. We feel what you feel. What a man!!! Peter you will always remain my favorite bad ass rocker in history. NOw I'm gonna go play some bad ass balls to the wall TON and rock out!!! Thank you.

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  27. LOL - great story, thank you Mark & Darcie for sharing. I can imagine so well what a ride that was ;-) & the picture is lovely.
    Much love to you all
    -Sabine-

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  28. Thank you Mark & Darcie for sharing this hilarious story with us ;-) I can imagine so well what a stunt it must have been driving this REAL BIG CAR ;-)but you made it ..
    The picture is lovely - can feel the unity between.
    Much love & respect
    -Sabine-

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  29. I LOVE THIS CAR!!!! "the Beast" The "MAD MAX " MOBILE IS WAS SHALL remain HIS trademark. HE LOVED THAT CAR like US ALL. Thank You!

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  30. This one has me laughing! is be willing to bet peter moved the seat more just so it was impossible for Mark to drive! I love Peters music and for I living I do auto body and repaint cars so this makes me realize I had a lot in common with my idol. is like to thank the ratajczyk family for sharing you made my day. I miss Peter so much.

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  31. What a wonderful story. As you were telling it I was picturing it in my my head, how funny that Peter soddered the seat in place. I am so tempted to do that. I just came apun this website and I have to tell you, Thank you for sharing all of these wonderful things about your brother. He is truly missed by so many and is able to live on by these memories.
    Gypsyadair

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