Re: Alpines don't get no respect -

K. Patrick Wheeler (pwheeler(at)ix.netcom.com)
Wed, 01 Jul 1998 17:44:55 -0700


While driving home last evening from work in my SV as I do whenever it is running, which seems pretty often these days, a fellow in a red Volkswagon pulled up beside me a mouthed some words that I believed were "I own a tiger." I flipped him a thumbs up and he scooted on his way and I settled inot a reverie at a comfortable 60 mph across one of the local bridges. I was wondering why, on such a wonderful day, anyone who owned tiger would not be out driving it. As I pulled off to my exit, the fellow returned. He'd stopped along the way somewhere and had made a sign saying "I own a Tiger!" I again gave him a thumbs up and then made a driving motion with my hands asking him why he was not driving it. His reply? A thumb and two fore fingers rubbed together and the word "insurance."

The moral? We may not get a lot of respect, but I believe that we may very well get a lot more miles under our tires. Far from feeling envious, I was sincerely sorry for the fellow who has a wonderful piece of machinery in his garage. I get to drive mine daily and it brings me great joy on a regular basis. While all the tiger owners I have met have been only the nicest of sorts and I have felt no disrespect, I am very happy with my alpine, respect or not.

Patrick Wheeler SV Richmond-San Rafael, CA