Remember the white pickup truck I featured here a week ago today, the one with the eclectic mix of messages? Well, today I found a comment from Todd Robinson, the back of whose head can be seen in one of the photos on that post:
That is my truck. As Cynthia Kent mentioned in a previous response, my brother left that truck to me after he passed. I am a native South Carolian with ancestors who fought for the Confederacy during the civil war. One who was actually help prisoner and released by Sherman himself. I actually have copies of the release forms with Shermans signature. So I guess you could say I am a South Carolinian and Confederate at Heart. I share the same passion for fishing as did my brother, so in his honored I have continued to add fish to the tailgate. I do enjoy Kayaking, which is an evergrowing and income generator sport for S.C., Columbia in particular. As far as “You May Say I’m A Dreamer, But I’m Not The Only One.” There are dreams other than those of John Lennon. I consider myself a dreamer. “They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.”
I the tailgate shocked you, I’d invite you to look inside the cab and glove box. American Freedoms in true form. Good picture for a cell phone. I saw you take it.
Previously, I had heard this from Cynthia Kent:
Wow – this is my boyfriends truck – he died in August of this past year. I spent many a happy hour in that ford 150 with him – fishing and exploring. When he died he left it to his brother. And I rued the fact I never took a pic of the tail gate. His brother has added alot of ’stuff’. Wayne only two or three fishies and a POW sticker in the left window. This really brings back some happy memories, Brad.
It’s a fine truck, and may it continue to bring both of you many fond memories.
This (along with the original)might be your best post ever. It illustrates the American dream better than anything I’ve seen in a long time. A picture really is worth a thousand words.
bud?!?! The American Dream is a gas guzzling pickup truck that celebrates a war to preserve slavery?
Actually Kathryn, in South Carolina it kind of is.
Then perhaps we should call it “The South Carolina Dream,” n’est-ce pas?
[this is a test – as the last time I sent this comment I got no acknowledgment of it having been sent. Just a blank screen like is happening to my comments over at beliefnet.com. At the Houston Chronicle, at least I get a “We’re sorry…an error has occurred” message. So, I send it againe…]
What a small world! Isn’t the blogosphere opening up a whole new frontier for thinking out loud and further discussing chance encounters?
I had mentioned the world of license plate communications to Brad on his blog a couple of years ago. We must have some creative writers in those prisons here in South Carolina. And those folks whose vehicles are assigned (?) to those tags must have a sweet job. Just ride around inspiring people with their messages, though some tend to gravitate toward the sinister.
The most unique one I saw mosey over into my lane and directly in from of me yesterday was a Colorado tag. ### – IPU. Now, would you think (if you thought too much like I tend to do) that this is a confession that he stinks? Or could one imagine him to be a cyber tagger? You know, “IP You.”
…just a day in the life of one who has way much time in their day to think about these things.
Neil White, I believe, commented that South Carolina needed to imprison better graphic artists.
I haven’t really liked a license plate since the Carolina wren, Yellow Jessamine one that all my birder friends were upset about because the wren wasn’t the right color. I thought it was distinctively South Carolinian and made good use of the medium with the twining vines.
I always wished we just had an indigo plate with a white palmetto in the middle and a crescent moon in the corner, and white lettering. The old “broccoli” plates didn’t do it for me…and now who knows what state any car is from any more, with all the special interest plates.
Amen, amen! That’s EXACTLY the plate I’ve imagined for years as being perfect!
Solid dark blue with white lettering would really pop out, would be classy, would be distinctive, would be esthetically pleasing. And it would say “South Carolina” far more clearly than anything else you can imagine…
Then, we get to my idea about USC dropping the Garnet and Black and going with an Indigo and White theme, thereby visually establishing itself as the flagship univerity. But then, I haven’t touted that one, not wanting to be ridden out of town on a rail. Oops, I just let it out, didn’t I? Good thing everybody’s moved on from this post and it won’t be noticed…
Also, we need to go back to the REAL plates with the stamped lettering. These things look like cheap forgeries that someone ran off on a $29.95 HP inkjet printer…