After reading all the sloppy sentimental stuff about the old country,
and parents or relatives that had one, I thought I'd put my two cents
in.
When I was stationed in France after the Korean conflict (where you any
less dead if killed in a police action?), there were a lot of LBCs
around. I wanted a Renault, but the only thing I could afford was an
Austin Sommerset (Funny, but I just realized that my wife drives a Buick
Sommerset). When I got home I bought a Renault Dauphine, which, next to
the one Ford I owned was the worst car I have ever owned. I must admit
that I was jealous of one of the civilian American workers at our base
who had not one, but two Jaguar Mark Vs. I thought they looked nice.
Eventually I scraped up enough money to buy a new car ( one of only two
new ones I have ever bought in 40 years), and the only sports car I
could afford was a bug eye Sprite. No trips to the old country (having
fled from persecution, my father would not admit that the country on his
passport was his country of origin), no clever relatives who bought one,
just the bottom line that I could get one that I could afford. I loved
my bug eye, but always wanted an MG. Once started, I never even
considered anything else, not Italian, French, or whatever. I was a BMC
man from then on.
Sorry to sound like a curmudgeon, but David has been silent for some
time now, and I miss his sharp comments.
Jack
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