Older New Car

My new old car, so to speak, is a 2007 Chrysler Town and Country. But I've picked up a newer older car. I bought my brother in law's 1996 Chevrolet Sport Van.

As a rule, even when I buy another vehicle it tends to be more a recent model even if still a decade or more older than the current day. Now here I am, potentially replacing a new old van with something 11 years older than it. So I'm replacing a new old van with a newer older van. Make sense?

I'm regressing. The older I get, the older my cars get. That counts as serendipity, doesn't it? Or maybe it's just plain old irony. 

Whatever. I like it.

Choose Your Punchline

Me buddy Ron commented on my blog yesterday that although cars are better built these days, there were differences on older models. "The styling just isn't there like it was back in the 60's & 70's. Except for subtle differences cars now all look the same."

I responded, "It is hard to tell one from the other these days. I remember being able to tell a Chrysler from a Ford from a Chevy a block away in 1975."

And now, it's time to play Choose Your Punchline!

You could tell one from the others because:

The Chevy was the one with the hood up.

-or-

The Ford was the one with the hood up.

-or-

The Chrysler was the one with the hood up.

Who's gonna win this one?

Everything's off

One of me Pops best friends was a guy named Ben Gamble. Ben was from Alabama, and like many southerners during the 1940s and 50s had emigrated northward for jobs in the auto industry. He landed at Chrysler himself.

After a few years, there were extended layoffs; Ben was told his would be 3 or 4 months. He decided that, with that much time, he might as well take the family to old Alabam for an extended visit. So off they went.

About eight weeks after they had left he was informed his layoff was over. He was to report the next Monday. So he and his wife packed the kids up, and early Saturday morning began the return to Detroit. You must remember that at the time, with no freeways, it was a long two day drive from northern Alabama to Detroit.

They got in late Sunday, and Monday morning Ben reported to the Chrysler plant where he had worked. He was told by a suit to wait a few minutes, and he'd be back with his exact assignment.

A few minutes passed, which became an hour, then two, and finally four. Eventually the suit returned with a new layoff notice for Ben.

Ben proceeded to tell the suit, in gloriously colorful language, that he did not appreciate being called in all the way from Alabama and having to put his family through that trauma only to be laid off again right away. He then went to that guy's supervisor and told him in no uncertain terms what he thought of the deal, then to that guy's superior, and finally to one more suit above him, all in spectacular manner. He wanted to make absolutely sure Chrysler understood the depths of his anger.

"Bill,' he said to Pops as he brought his tale to a close, "By the time I was done I was laid off, paid off, told off, and run off!"

But I bet it was worth every word.

Ben's layoff gamble

Since we're on the subject of Dad's favorite stories (we are still on that subject, aren't we?) I am reminded of one which centered around his friend Ben. Ben was from Alabama, and like many southerners during the 1940s and 50s had emigrated northward for jobs in the auto industry. He landed at Chrysler himself.

After a few years, there were extended layoffs; Ben was told his would be 3 or 4 months. He decided that, with that much time, he might as well take the family to Alabam for an extended visit. And off they went.

About eight weeks after they had left he was informed his layoff was over. He was to report the next Monday. So he and his wife packed the kids up, and early Saturday morning began the return to Detroit. You must remember that at the time, with no freeways, it was a long two day drive from northern Alabama to Detroit.

They got in late Sunday, and Monday morning Ben reported to the Chrysler plant where he had worked. He was told by a suit to wait a few minutes, and he'd be back with his exact assignment.

A few minutes passed, which became an hour, then two, and finally four. Eventually the suit returned with a new layoff notice for Ben.

Ben proceeded to tell the suit, in marvelously colorful language, that he did not appreciate being called in all the way from Alabama and having put his family through that trauma only to be laid off again right away. He then went to that guy's supervisor and told him in no uncertain terms what he thought of the deal, then to that guy's superior, and finally to one more suit above him. He wanted to make absolutely sure Chrysler understood the depths of his anger.

"Bill,' he said to Pops as he brought his tale to a close, "By the time I was done I was laid off, paid off, told off, and run off!"

But I bet it was worth every word.