Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 23:45:52 -0800
Reply-To: Gary Bawden <goldfieldgary@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Gary Bawden <goldfieldgary@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: On being a Vanaslob (was: sad decline)
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Happy Fryeday, fellow listees!
Since half of us (according to Scott) are slobs, or at least, half of
the Vanagons he gets were owned by slobs, I thought I'd take it upon
myself to say a few words on our behalf. No disrespect intended here,
Scott, I enjoy your posts and find them informative.
To me, the Vanagon is a utility vehicle. Oh, sure, I go camping in it,
too, but what other vehicle can you own these days that, after the
weekend, you can take it down to the lumber yard and slide in a few
sheets of plywood? And with me, it doesn't stop there. Looking in the
side door (clank, clatter, clatter) of AnnaBelle, I see there are:
two toolboxes
a 5-gallon plastic bucket filled with miscellaneous hardware
a snow shovel
my antique wooden creeper
a couple of wool blankets
a couple of jugs of water
a hydraulic jack
the much-maligned stock VW jack
a genuine USSR-surplus titanium crowbar
various and sundry pieces of 2 x 4's
some bits of sun-purpled glass
cool-looking rusty beer cans (pre-flip-top era)
interesting rocks
and, well, the list goes on. I even see a few bits of bark in there
from the last time I went out and cut firewood! Gasp (!), is that an
oil stain?
Now I can appreciate a well-tricked-out Vanagon as much as anyone
else, and really, I have a certain admiration for those of you who may
describe yourselves as "neat freaks". Really, all I pay attention to
is keeping the mechanicals in reasonable working order, maintaining
good tires, changing the oil on a regular basis, etc. If I start
fixing dents and worrying about cosmetics, why, to my way of thinking,
that's just an invitation to get a shopping cart ding - - or worse.
Who needs the anxiety - - not me!
My point is, we all drive and enjoy our Vanagons. Even the most
slovenly among us will eventually pass on what's left, perhaps to
someone new to Vanagons, a young person who will gladly roll up their
sleeves and give it a total, loving restoration. In fact, you could
even make the case for the Vanaslob occupying a special niche in the
Vanagon ecosystem. And lest some of you are tempted to look down your
long patrician noses, remember you share 97% of your DNA with a banana
slug!
Gary
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: sad decline and a new sighting in Richmond VA
we just have to accept that some people are slobs. Bugs me too, to see
fine machinery not treasured and taken care of. Woe be the next owner
if there ever is one !
half the vans I get........I am the FIRST person ever to clean out
bubble gum and hair and snot or whatever out of the seat belt latches,
in the seats..... etc. etc. etc.........or even lube a moving . We
will just have to forgive those who don't know better.......about
taking care of 'our' precious vanagons.
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