The car sits in a cool, still garage, amid scents of grease, gasoline
and leather. The driver, beside the car, imagines the sounds and
curves and sights ahead. It's almost dawn: elsewhere, the household
sleeps. The driver opens the garage to reveal the outdoors. It's the
End of the Year, yet winter has yet to bite. Though cool at this
early hour, 50F are promised by mid-morn. Little British Cars are
owned, are held, are nurtured, for unexpected days such as this.
The garage lights goes on, throwing slashes of white reflections over
the polished car. The driver pulls on a warm coat; its collar is
lifted against the winds to come. Hands slip into thin leather
gloves. The driver's door opens with a familiar click-thunk. The
driver places one hand atop the driver's seat back, then slides the
right knee under the steering wheel. With a downward sweep, the
driver slides onto the driver's seat. The suspension and seat creak
softly in recognition of the driver's arrival. The driver's legs
extend into the darkness beneath the dash to find familiar pedals.
The driver settles, then reaches down to bring the seat-belt halves
together with a clean snap from the buckle. The driver pulls the thin
chrome handle to swing the door, with a gentle groan from the hinge,
to shut with a thunk.
The choke is pulled, and turned to lock against its return. A small
round-headed key, fished from a pocket, slips into the ignition and
turns; a small red light on the dash glows. With an electric whir,
the starter stirs the motor. Vibrations in the seat signal the
laboured revolutions of the engine....one beat.....two
beats......three beats.....and fire! In a second or two, the
irregular thumps becomes a steady blend of chatter, rumble and burble
as the engine bursts to life.
The driver pulls the dash-mounted light-switch to a crisp click,
lighting six dashboard dials and four side-lights. From the two warm
discs of yellow light in front, the driver turns to look over the
boot into the red light behind. A tap of the brake pedal doubles this
rich, red glow.
The ball of the driver's left foot presses the clutch to elicit a
quiet hiss. The gear lever lifts, eases through the mechanism as it
moves toward the passenger seat, and then rearward, engaging reverse
gear. A pull on the hand-brake releases the rear wheels, but for the
driver's foot, resting on the brake pedal. A gentle lift of the
clutch pedal, and an encouraging press of the throttle, nudges the
car into the cavernous darkness.
With a turn of the wheel, the driver orients the car to the road.
With the clutch depressed and with gentle pressure on the brake, the
car eases to a stop. With a second pull on the light switch,
headlights flood forwards with creamy light. Sensing the night-cooled
breeze, the driver eagerly throws the car into first gear. With a an
ease of the clutch, and encouragement from the throttle, the car
leaps forward in search of the dawn, the adventure and the music ahead.
------------------------------------------
I hope some of you enjoyed this start of a journey, inspired by
Melissa Holbrook Pierson's 'The Perfect Vehicle'.
Happy New Year Everyone, and Very Best Wishes,
Brian in Valley Forge, PA
1963 TR4
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