This has nothing to do with the story but the mention of "hearse" brought back memories of when I was but maybe 8 years old an uncle (in his 20s) bought a hearse from a funeral home. Did nothing to the vehicle. He told me that he even drove it on dates. He said sometimes there were three in the car on these dates.
Uncle Robert always had something off-beat to say.
Have you ever seen "Harold and Maude"?