Lying in bed at night, by the flickering light of the oil lamp, he would stare up at the Model T lithographs tacked up on his bedroom wall.
"Someday, I will have a machine as cool as that."
Reading, and re-reading the specs in his well worn copy of Horseless Carriage and Driver, he would marvel at the power that such a machine could muster.
"I know how strong one horse can be. I can't even fathom what 12 could do in concert!"
Years went by, and the definition of "fast" has been altered slightly. Those 12 horses don't seem as mighty as they once did.
And as Virgil passed the centennial mark, he thought back to those cars that he lusted after in his youth, and thought to himself how short his remaining time on Earth might be, and said "Fuck it. I'm buying a Camaro."
@lilwillie: Actually, the ennui in this story is reported in the NYT piece--he's outlived both his wife and all three of his kids. Which, when you think about it, would kind of suck.
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Edited by FormerlyPreferredCustomer at 11/20/09 10:29 AM
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@Novaload: Seriously. I was a paratrooper, and I doubt that my training was less arduous. You guys are freakin' heroes. Saving lives on a daily basis is a good thing. You have my respect and thanks. #nascar
11/20/09
I kid. Actually, I'd hope to be just like him 58 years down the road if I live that long.
11/20/09
Not saying they all worked as advertised...
11/20/09
I aspire to be this guy though.
11/20/09
does it still count as a 10/90 if the 10% part is bald?
11/20/09
@günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi:
It's called the "bullet"
(balding+mullet)
Also called the "skullet"
10:16 AM
11/20/09
"Someday, I will have a machine as cool as that."
Reading, and re-reading the specs in his well worn copy of Horseless Carriage and Driver, he would marvel at the power that such a machine could muster.
"I know how strong one horse can be. I can't even fathom what 12 could do in concert!"
Years went by, and the definition of "fast" has been altered slightly. Those 12 horses don't seem as mighty as they once did.
And as Virgil passed the centennial mark, he thought back to those cars that he lusted after in his youth, and thought to himself how short his remaining time on Earth might be, and said "Fuck it. I'm buying a Camaro."
11/20/09
Seriously, I'm glad for the guy. Living keeps you young, and this guy seems to have a great attitude.
I hope the cops are cool about him driving his age.
11/20/09
Meaning either never married (smart) or widowed (lucky) so there is no wife to piss and moan all the time about what he does.
No wonder he is 101.
Rock on Virgil.
11/20/09
[wheels.blogs.nytimes.com]
11/20/09
It would, I was just being a smart ass.
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@snapoversteer 'bout to get told: Thats a whole other Chris Hansen show.
11/09/09
11/09/09
....shoulda done one of these moves with it....sans astronaut of course. #nascar
11/09/09
"TOOODAY, we are going to drop a CAAAR, FROM A HELLEECOPTAH!!!!" #nascar
11/09/09
I do not believe any grown man or women grow out of their childhood dream to be an astronaut.
my other childhood dream was to be a Firefighter.. I did that.. but that is way more attainable.. ha #nascar
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