Kinston man shares what it’s like to drive a showy car around the city

Cardiesse Veal made an oblivious decision when he purchased a paint job for his car two years ago.

When does a Honda get so much attention?

Maybe when it’s vibrantly orange.

Veal, 31, said the bright color caught his attention, so he chose it.

“I was going through colors and it kind of just jumped out,” he said about the exterior work that coated a previously green vehicle. “I didn’t like the green. I just thought I’d spice it up and add a little flavor to it. It definitely jumps out around town.”

He said he gets a variety of stares and pointing fingers when he drives his 2003 Honda Accord in Kinston — at least while he’s in town.

Veal likes to travel, naming New York as his favorite place to go.

“I love New York,” said Veal, an avid shopper. “New York fits me, that’s the shopping capital, I think.”

He’s also been to New Jersey and Florida but has only driven the car as far as Durham.

Veal moved back to Kinston in 1997 after being raised in St. Louis, Mo. He currently works two jobs and is 19 credits away from earning a degree in computer information technology from Pitt Community College.

In the little spare time he has, he either plays video games or basketball, “to keep me in shape,” Veal said.

While his vehicle is worthy of car club ranks, he hasn’t joined one because of a restrictive schedule.

“I don’t really have time to attend their meetings and activities they have,” he said. “I work a lot, and I’m in school also. I’m pretty busy.”

Veal said he is a shy person and didn’t realize his car would turn so many heads.

“I’m not an attention-seeker,” he said. “It’s hard to believe since I got orange, but I just liked the color (and) didn’t think about what I was getting into when I picked it.”

He said because of his car, people may think he is an extreme partier or even womanizer due to negative misconceptions behind flashy cars.

“It does send a message,” Veal said.

He laughed when he added, “Some people look at me and think I party a lot, but they don’t know that I really work. I don’t have the time to party.”

Veal said he is trying to stay on a positive track.

His parents, from Kinston, passed away eight months apart due to illnesses. He has two young children, a sister, three brothers and a handful of relatives who live in Kinston.

“I’m trying to get myself together as far as a degree and make (my parents) happy,” Veal said. “I’m not doing anything negative.”

As for his future with the car: the relationship won’t last too much longer. While he loves the tangerine eye-catcher, he will soon sell it to get a Chevrolet Tahoe truck.

“(I’ll miss) the look on people’s faces when I come to the car wash,” Veal said. “I have a bunch of memories with this car when I let it go.”

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.

BREAKOUT BOX:

Meet Me Monday

Name: Cardiesse Veal

Age: 31

School: Pitt Community College

Fun fact: His first car was a 2005 Ford Taurus.