You wrote:
>
>or, Why I Get Grouchy When I Can't Drive My M.G.
>
>Recently, Will Zehring quoted a line out of an article about
>the MGB that ended with the line, "what more could the
>rational enthusiast ask for?"
>
>Someone then asked the question, "What the heck is a rational
>enthusiast anyway?" I of course gave the knee-jerk reply -- that a
>rational enthusiast is an oxymoron, a paradox, a contradiction.
>But I've been thinking about it since, and I think I see what the
>original article meant when it described a rational enthusiast.
>
>It reminded me, as things often do, of my first love, and of
>my discovery of the point of passion. Yes, two hearts beating
>as one is a delirious romantic notion; yes, reading the sonnets
>of Shakespeare on a soft summer evening under a rose-laced
>trellis is a dream come true. But for me, there was one moment,
>one instant, one stabbing excruciating ecstasy at which my
>entire being shouted, I WANT TO SPEND MY WHOLE LIFE
>DOING THIS! (In the words of T. S. Eliot, "Oh, do not ask
>what is it; let us go and make our visit.") I knew in a flash
>of burning softness that I would do anything I could to
>spend as much of my life as was humanly possible, and
>maybe a little more, in that same tearing, throbbing joy.
>
>In such a context, it's eminently rational to start thinking
>about ways to ensure that one gets to do that little thing as
>often as it can be arranged. It begins in small ways like
>buying flowers, writing love letters, being attentive and
>thoughtful; it reveals itself in even bigger ways like having
>fallen in love with the right person in the first place and
>deciding to get married. Within the context of such passion,
>there is room for taking steps that could be described as
>rational, or at least consistent with the goal that your
>passion drives you to accomplish. If reason and passion
>are too far apart for you to connect them, then think of it as
>taking appropriate action to spend every possible moment
>experiencing this irrational, compelling passion.
>
>In that sense, the MGB probably *is* an ideal car for such a
>rational enthusiast. And I propose judging rationality by
>the same standards: wanting to spend as much time doing
>something (in this case, driving a sports car) as is humanly
>possible. T Series cars have more charm, the MGA is prettier,
>the Midget less expensive and more nimble. But what
>has always endeared the MGB to me has been the ability it
>provides me to spend as much time as possible just driving.
>It does this through a combination of many features, from
>long-trip comfort, to ruggedness, to easy availability of parts.
>
>So if by "rational enthusiast" you mean someone who has
>taken steps to spend every possible moment driving the car,
>then the MGB is indeed a great choice for a rational enthusiast.
>Not the only ideal choice, but certainly a good one on those
>grounds. There's something sheerly delightful about being
>able to experience such passion morning and evening, with
>the occasional short quick romp at lunchtime as well. (No,
>silly, I meant commuting in the MGB!)
>
>And if nothing else, at least cars don't cry when they find out
>you've been driving somebody else's.
>
>--Scott "Millions for Castrol, but not one cent for alimony" Fisher
>
>
>
>
Someone needs to get this man a nice white jacket with extra-long sleves
and lots of pretty buckles and straps.
(all this from a guy who owns an AUSTIN AMERICA)
|