*I'm going to try to be totally honest about a slice out of 'ole -=A=-'s day<G> I like living with "the force"... ---------------------------------- Part of that means I treasure hunt in junk stores and flea markets and wrecking yards looking for the "thing" that will touch a boyhood feeling.. 'Back in '65 or so we picked up a Ranger Commander with a off-beat attitude<G> My Dad as Sr.Cdr. just didn't understand this man, and labeled him a 'wierd-o<G> *But "weirdo" has a shifting definition, when you are part of a small pentecostal church in the 60's version of "Beach boy California<G>" right down the street was "Mooneyes" Hot rod supply and Pioneer blvd. brought the sound of racing corvettes to Sunday night prayer<G> Cdr. "weirdo" lived in an open beam California ranch and we went over to give him some leadership materials. His living room had a huge Victrola machine and he was playing some 1920's jug band music<G> The walls were decorated with "art" and the furniture was an assortment of old antiques needing repair and seats from old cars<G> He drove a '61 Ford station wagon, but out in back was a Model "A" ford sticking out of a full garage of spare parts and model flying machines!In the "mess" I could see a basket case hard- tail 40's Harley or Indian Chief.. *project! The coffee table was a windshield out of a WW2 PT boat and proudly he told me it was "bulletproof"<G> When my Dad returned home.. I received a lecture about the "frivilousness" of Cdr."wierd-o" and his junk pile.. *But for me... *some dreams were made!<G> Last weekend, I traded one of my 'projects off to clean up the yard, and make good on a *promise to my son.. I bought a '52 chevy stock pick-up in fine "apple orchard" shape and became bored with it after getting it to run. I scrounged a "donor" car and began to replace the old driveline with modern chevy running gear, then with wild abandon<G> Cut the frame and welded a Nova subframe on to "drop or slam it" After re-wire'n it with the help of a friend.. both the friend, and the truck were put onthe back burner as I became a RR commander. The truck that I had "cared so much about" seemed to be sinking into the front yard drainfield<G> until a gearhead youngman stopped to quiz me about it... The result was a swap for my son's first "ride" that he picked... 1988 Nissan 200sx<G> While waiting in the grundgy auto lot for paperwork, there was a stack of books marked "FREE" and I picked up one titled: "Building the Indian" I've been reading this book non-stop<G> as it is so much like some of the events in my life, for this middle aged Montana fellah to fall in love with a "basket case" Indian 1100cc Chief! Just before writing this, I was searching the net for information related to this book and people he mentioned when I fell on an old Bike trader sight... that linked to a Texas biker who had moved to Austin from So.Cal. and he had put in words and pictures his story of Bikes traded and bought, built and stolen, blown out leaves and busted knees and swap meets and cold nights in winter grages-*dreaming<G> *why I have a great job.. Is that- as I wrote this whole story, I had spaced out on a job that I had forgot that was due... I looked up just now, and told my boss: "I think I just spaced out<G>" *She said- "No worries Duane, you'll get it<G> Yah wanna go to Lunch? *I'll buy!" -=A=- _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit http://rangernet.org/subscribe.htm http://rangernet.org Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
