The day before yesterday, for the first day in a week the clouds cleared and
things were fine. So I drove the 6 into the office. Screwed my Triumph
leather baseball hat onto my head to ward off the "TR6 head" I get after a
few miles on the highway with my hair in the breeze. Sidebar, my hair's not
long but it does love to stand straight on end... Never forget being in a
meeting 10 years ago and saying very portentiously (I was far far too young
to pull it off) "So gentleman do we have a deal?". The response from an
immaculately suited gentleman in his 50s was, "I'm not sure Mark, the real
question is whether you have a comb". Sure broke up the tension, but I was
properly in my place I can tell you! The bugger must have waited for an hour
to get his line in. Anyway, after that incident, I wear hats when the top is
down. Taught me the difference between being earnest and full-of-it in a
business meeting too. But I digress... again...
Anyhow it's about 15-20minutes on the highway from my house in the suburbs
to the downtown exits.
So here I am cruising along the highway heading into town when suddenly a
very very nice new yellow Porche pulled up along side and waves hello. Very
friendly-like. I waved back and he moved up a car length or two in the next
lane. A mile later another nice TR6 came into view. All three waved and
drove along for about 3 more minutes. And then just as we were all coming
into the slower part of the road in town we came upon a gorgeous yellow
Ferrari. Everyone waved at everyone and we cruised for 3 more miles into
town, all in formation, until separating at the exits. Sunshine and feeling
that the world wasn't such a bad place after all.
I have to say that time has made a difference. There were these fellows in
their horrifyingly expensive cars and the TR6s and all happily waving at
each other as part of a club. Sounds snotty I know. The point is that 15
years ago when I bought the 6, I was a starving just-graduated jobless
student driving a rusty beaten-up old roadster. The Ferarri and Porche crowd
wouldn't have given me the time of day. Now time has made all equal. Well
like Orwell said, some are more equal than others, but you get the idea.
Perhaps I should spurn them. Reject them for buying with filthy lucre 10
times more than I could cobble together with screwdriver in hand and hole in
wallet. When younger I would have had the moral courage to do it. Now I am
weak. I can't help myself, I feel a glow when some guy in his half-a-million
dollar car waves and is happy to drive in formation with me. A sell-out I
suppose, but damn!, it was a fine sight rolling down the road.
I guess now I will have sell off the Che Guevera shirt (never had one) and
buy a polo with a prancing horse logo on the front (never happen). Sit
around drinking sangria and discussing my portfolio (never had one of those
either). Aaah the lost illusions... (dis-engaging nostalgia mode)
Happy driving week-end everybody.
Mark Hooper
72 TR6
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