A Week Of Partings
Those guys that fish for opilio crab would feel right at home around here as far as bad weather goes lately. We've had snow, wind, freezing temps, sleet and hail on and off since Thursday. If the globe is indeed warming, it's starting out slow around here.
I had a couple of partings here this week. On a sad note, my old cat Pete left us late on the 15th. I had shared friendship with the old timer for over seventeen years. His passing was hard for me, as well as my whole family, but I was there when he left, and am grateful for that. On to other things...
I also parted ways with my '92 Harley Davidson Sportster. Our newest Geezer, Oilcan Kurt called last Saturday and asked if I might consider a trade for his '96 Chevy S10 pick-up. The truck has a new motor, and a buttload of other cool stuff, and since I do need a truck, I was hip to the idea. I rolled out the Sporty, and got it road ready, then set up a time to blast over to Oilcan's joint. I took a final spin out to Ediz Hook, since I pretty much knew I would take the deal. Once I rolled into Kurt's driveway and saw him light up like a Christmas house, I knew he wanted the bike. I let him bomb up and down the block, and before I knew it, he was offering me the sun, moon and stars to make the deal. All I really needed was the keys to the rig. I couldn't see the truck till the next morning since his daughter had taken it to work, but by the sound of things, I was sold.
Early Sunday morning, I did a drive-by to see the truck in Kurt's driveway. Shiny, black, and sporting cool aluminum rollers, this was right up my alley. I went home and told the bride that I was saying bye-bye to the Harley, and could she arrange the swap while I was in class that day. After placing a call to say "It's a deal" to Kurt, I was off to school. When I called my wife after class, the switcheroo had been made, and my new truck was in the driveway at home. Stoked like a teenager, I headed out to JayBee's shop to help with the Vespa project for a bit before going home. When I lumbered up JayBee's long landscaped driveway to his shop, there sat my old Sporty. Geez, I just swapped it out, and here it was with its prideful new owner grinning so wide, that I could count all of the teeth in his beak. Oh well, I made the deal, now I'll deal with it.
I have to say that the S10 is really a nice truck. I hope that Oilcan is good on his end, cuz I think I might have gotten the fat end of the deal. I know that in Kurt's world, the pressure was on at his workplace to have a motorcycle since most of his cronies ride everyday, and he was jonesing to join the ranks. Not many were expecting a chopped, lowered, loud club bike with 18" apehangers, but that's his situation to deal with, not mine anymore. Last I heard, the ape's are gone, and the tank and fenders are in primer for a new two-tone paint job. At least when I see it around now, I won't see my personality in it anymore since it will look different.
Strange how I don't feel sad at all in not having the Sportster anymore. It might be because I'm dealing with a truer sense of sadness in the loss of Pete. If I could have either one with me right now, it would be my old friend.
Have fun,
Bill
I had a couple of partings here this week. On a sad note, my old cat Pete left us late on the 15th. I had shared friendship with the old timer for over seventeen years. His passing was hard for me, as well as my whole family, but I was there when he left, and am grateful for that. On to other things...
I also parted ways with my '92 Harley Davidson Sportster. Our newest Geezer, Oilcan Kurt called last Saturday and asked if I might consider a trade for his '96 Chevy S10 pick-up. The truck has a new motor, and a buttload of other cool stuff, and since I do need a truck, I was hip to the idea. I rolled out the Sporty, and got it road ready, then set up a time to blast over to Oilcan's joint. I took a final spin out to Ediz Hook, since I pretty much knew I would take the deal. Once I rolled into Kurt's driveway and saw him light up like a Christmas house, I knew he wanted the bike. I let him bomb up and down the block, and before I knew it, he was offering me the sun, moon and stars to make the deal. All I really needed was the keys to the rig. I couldn't see the truck till the next morning since his daughter had taken it to work, but by the sound of things, I was sold.
Early Sunday morning, I did a drive-by to see the truck in Kurt's driveway. Shiny, black, and sporting cool aluminum rollers, this was right up my alley. I went home and told the bride that I was saying bye-bye to the Harley, and could she arrange the swap while I was in class that day. After placing a call to say "It's a deal" to Kurt, I was off to school. When I called my wife after class, the switcheroo had been made, and my new truck was in the driveway at home. Stoked like a teenager, I headed out to JayBee's shop to help with the Vespa project for a bit before going home. When I lumbered up JayBee's long landscaped driveway to his shop, there sat my old Sporty. Geez, I just swapped it out, and here it was with its prideful new owner grinning so wide, that I could count all of the teeth in his beak. Oh well, I made the deal, now I'll deal with it.
I have to say that the S10 is really a nice truck. I hope that Oilcan is good on his end, cuz I think I might have gotten the fat end of the deal. I know that in Kurt's world, the pressure was on at his workplace to have a motorcycle since most of his cronies ride everyday, and he was jonesing to join the ranks. Not many were expecting a chopped, lowered, loud club bike with 18" apehangers, but that's his situation to deal with, not mine anymore. Last I heard, the ape's are gone, and the tank and fenders are in primer for a new two-tone paint job. At least when I see it around now, I won't see my personality in it anymore since it will look different.
Strange how I don't feel sad at all in not having the Sportster anymore. It might be because I'm dealing with a truer sense of sadness in the loss of Pete. If I could have either one with me right now, it would be my old friend.
Have fun,
Bill
posted by Bill Sommers at 3:45 PM
6 Comments:
Strange how I don't feel sad at all in not having the Sportster anymore.
It's a cult, maybe you have mellowed and evolved. What you ride now is less polluting so that is good.
17 years is a long life for a cat, I've never had one that long. Well, I don't get too attached to my cats anyway. They think that they are god and that I'm just here to feed them. I had the gods fixed, he, he, he.
I lost a dog way to soon once. Lady
My cat Heidi just turned 19. She's been with us since she was newly weaned. Right now she's sleeping under my computer chair. That's pretty much what she does anymore. Preferably near one of us. Sorry about your losing Pete.
Sorry to hear about Pete. I have a 15 year old dog at my feet and I hate to think about it.
Time heals all things they say. My experience supports the notion...
Steve Williams
Theoretical Agriculture
Scooter in the Sticks
Looks like our girl Courtney is going to go in the next two weeks, but 14 years is a long time to have the company of an affectionate cainine. Simpathies from the east coast.
This was a great post Bill. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Thanks to everyone for responding. I found that its quite tough to lose a faithful critter. Seems like the older you get, the more you want to maintain your composure at these times, and the more it hurts in the end. Again, thanks.
Have fun,
Bill
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