Sad news that I found out that my first "The Skipper" John Valentine died last year, January 2018.
His obituary tells some basic info:
https://www.mcnuttfuneralhome.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=2876469#/obituaryInfo
I have a longer and fuller story to share about this fine man, who I was lucky to have as a friend and client for a number of years. He was one of the first people I met when I went on my own as a lawyer in 1996. He must have seen something in me, as I did in him.
He was a decorated war hero from the Vietnam War. He made and lost a fortune several times over. He had a way of telling you the coolest stories without making you think he was bragging or puffing. He was a polo player, he did business all over the world, he had a chateau in Bordeax, France. In that way he inspired me to live more authentically.
I also thought of him as the original Most Interesting Man in the World. In that respect I was lucky to have known him. I think that it probably the highest compliment that anyone could give.
Sunday, June 9, 2019
F-----n' Jetta
Way back in the 80s I was riding around in a car driven by my friend Dave. It was an early 80s Buick, along the lines of a K car, a low point in automotive transport. But it did get us from A to B, which was more than me and my girlfriend of the time had together.
So we were riding down the road and she was dreaming of when we all had good cars. "Dave, you'll drive a Porsche. I'll have a BMW. And Greg... you'll have a Volkswagen Jetta."
"A Jetta?!" That boxy little econocar, a 4 door bore, 1.8 liter engine? We're dreaming out loud and that's what you come up with? I was quite insulted.
My dream car at the time was a Saab Turbo, black. My friend Robert said he had one in the 80s and I thought, "that's about right". He was a very cool person all his life. Gone too soon actually.
Right now I'm not driving at all. When I get back to it, I'll have my Lexus ES 350 (much better). My previous cars all blow away the VW Jetta: BMW, Mercedes, Chevrolet Z71 Tahoe. And I've driven the best: Ferrari, Tesla, Corvette ZR-1, Shelby.
So now when I see a Jetta, I can't help but look down at it. To make matters worse, the nameplate refuses to go away, having been in regular production from 1979 over 7 generations and selling over 14 million units, become VW's top seller. But it still is no good in my book.
*Postscript* Upon further reflection, I decided that the reason I disliked the Jetta so much then was that it probably would have been a great car for me at that time. For I had no car at that point and no prospects for getting. Had I had one of my own, I could done a lot with a VW Rabbit (a popular car at the time). In fact the Rabbit GTI was quite a hot rod for its day. My sister had a VW Fox later on, and that was a cool little car.
I guess I could not swallow my pride when I really wanted that Saab Turbo! As a result, the years 1986 to 1989 were a car-less time. Oh yes, I did have some car access but it was in the nature of a borrowed or parent's car.
Of course, back then, there were not as many cars around. But still, looking back, I wish I would have done more to have my own set of wheels. No telling how things might have turned out different. Maybe I saved myself for something better.
So we were riding down the road and she was dreaming of when we all had good cars. "Dave, you'll drive a Porsche. I'll have a BMW. And Greg... you'll have a Volkswagen Jetta."
"A Jetta?!" That boxy little econocar, a 4 door bore, 1.8 liter engine? We're dreaming out loud and that's what you come up with? I was quite insulted.
My dream car at the time was a Saab Turbo, black. My friend Robert said he had one in the 80s and I thought, "that's about right". He was a very cool person all his life. Gone too soon actually.
Right now I'm not driving at all. When I get back to it, I'll have my Lexus ES 350 (much better). My previous cars all blow away the VW Jetta: BMW, Mercedes, Chevrolet Z71 Tahoe. And I've driven the best: Ferrari, Tesla, Corvette ZR-1, Shelby.
So now when I see a Jetta, I can't help but look down at it. To make matters worse, the nameplate refuses to go away, having been in regular production from 1979 over 7 generations and selling over 14 million units, become VW's top seller. But it still is no good in my book.
*Postscript* Upon further reflection, I decided that the reason I disliked the Jetta so much then was that it probably would have been a great car for me at that time. For I had no car at that point and no prospects for getting. Had I had one of my own, I could done a lot with a VW Rabbit (a popular car at the time). In fact the Rabbit GTI was quite a hot rod for its day. My sister had a VW Fox later on, and that was a cool little car.
I guess I could not swallow my pride when I really wanted that Saab Turbo! As a result, the years 1986 to 1989 were a car-less time. Oh yes, I did have some car access but it was in the nature of a borrowed or parent's car.
Of course, back then, there were not as many cars around. But still, looking back, I wish I would have done more to have my own set of wheels. No telling how things might have turned out different. Maybe I saved myself for something better.
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