[Earle]

Tom, so sorry to hear about your Mom. What an appropriate and yet beautiful photo. It says so much.

My parents passed away in 2001 & 2002. Before they left us, they did get to enjoy the Roadster. My Dad found it in the PA "Dutch Country" (Renningers) in 1984 after a long search for same kind of car he had dated my future Mom with in 1940. We had a good (and often trying) time "restoring" it together. We probably would not have had the opportunity to spend so much treasured "bonding time" together if it weren't for that sorry-looking car we "rescued."

In Mom and Dad's absence, I take every opportunity to share the joy and nostalgia that these old cars bring to the older generations. - Shows, parades, tours, etc. I had a particularly fantastic time last weekend taking the car to a local "senior retirement community" car show. The folks came out in droves to look at the cars and share their own stories. These dear people were more interested and had more fun than any other show for "the general public" I've ever been to.

AND, I spent the afternoon giving rides (front seat and rumble seat) to one after another of them as they eagerly lined up. Seeing their smiles and hearing their old car memories more than made my day. A couple of them referred to "rumble seat memories" that they chose not to go into detail about!

This is why we have our cars and go to the cost and effort to preserve this history isn't it? If we do it only for our own pleasure, we're missing something.

By the way, when I got home, this finiky old perfectionist, actually enjoyed wiping off the smudges and fingerprints left by my precious passengers! - recalling the old folk that each print belonged to. AND - I could swear, after I was finished, I heard a faint voice coming from inside the empty car saying - "When can we do that again?!"

Soon....very soon...

Earle