History Barn found. Then lost. Sort of....

A sad story, but written so, so well. modagger.
I have one sadly similar, but yours is told so well, I'm not about to get into mine at the length and depth/breadth you accomplished with yours. I will relate though it involved a 32 Ford Vicky, gifted to me on my 16 BD, by a old man I had done yard work for, and how my dad made me return it. This happened exactly 10 years previous to your experience.

 

The preceding was a quote from that esteemed philosopher, the honorable R. Funkhouser.

Right you are Ron!

 

Will I still have white hair?

 

I’d be willing to bet that if you called Sophie and asked for “your” bell back, it would’ve gone very similar to the response I got from the junkman. “Oh, you mean my husband’s bell, he loves it and has been polishing it ever since he got it!”.

Look on the bright side. At least you won’t see it driving around the neighborhood.

 

Oh no! It seems my tale has ripped the dressings off of a few old wounds. Not my intent at all. It is nice though to know I’m not alone. In a selfish sort of way.

Thanks for the kind words Larry.

 

It has always saddened me how many men came home from war to find their cars had been sold off. Seemed like they were not expected to return. So very happy they did. Many thanks to those that served. Also those that made the supreme sacrifice.

Dave

 

Dave

I’m reminded of another aspect of cars and war.

After discharge I started my career with the local AT&T company as an installation tech. I had a job one day in a quiet neighborhood of single family homes. As I pulled up in front of the house I noticed a Honduras Maroon ‘62 Corvette parked in the yard at the house across the street.

During the installation I asked the homeowner if she knew if the car was for sale. She said that the couple’s son was in Vietnam and they were going to leave it right where he parked it until he came back.

It broke my heart for that family to watch the car slowly being reclaimed by the earth well after the end of the war. Knowing full well what had happened.

The last time I checked, it was gone so I went to the woman that told me the story originally. She said the husband had passed away a couple of years earlier and the wife passed the next year. A distant relative arranged to sell the house and had the car taken away.

I really hope that in the future our descendants will ask, “what is a veteran of a foreign war?”.

Sorry for the sad tale.

 

I think I'm going to throw up and I'm sure I'm going to cry. Something very similar happened to me back in the mid 70's and came real close to causing a divorce. It may be immature but I still haven't forgiven her.

 

Great read, although the outcome wasn’t. When I went off to school I had 6 or 7 dirt bikes. Difference was my dad and I talked weekly, and would say “hey, do you want to get rid of that Bultaco-etc, “? I told him do it if the price was right.
For a bit I was put out when I came back home and no cash was waiting for me, but soon I recalled all the times I needed help for rent, etc those 5 years I was gone. I got over it pretty quick when I asked what happened to the shear and slip roll he had. He told me “damn Mike, the school needed tuition money”.

I know it’s not the same, but hell, he didn’t sell my stuff for booze or drugs or a shiny new thing for him and my mom. And he left my first Bultaco in the tack room, it’s still there and put somewhat back together after I left it in 100 pieces. When I see it I just smile

 

He sounds like a quietly great dad. Good for you in recognizing what he did for you.

 

My story, when I was 15, I worked building barns and bought my first car, insured it and my Dad took it. So I went and worked to save up enough to buy my second one, bought it, 68 Nova, 327, 4 speed muncie for $650. Moral of the story, my Dad was a a$$ hole. He never bought 1 thing for me, I started buying my own clothes at age 11 from the Sears Robuck catolog.

 

I’m sorry for ya Mike. I hear that a lot. Some parents don’t want to be and think if they are there, they have done their part. Others bolt. I took a road less traveled when the ex split and left me with 3 girls to raise. Some men/ women do what’s need to be done, others don’t.

I hope you’re in a better space now.

 

Tough story Mike. Sounds like your father inadvertently turned you into a pretty self sufficient guy. Props to you for not playing the “woe is me” card!

 

Your story brought back old memories.... When I went into the service I left a 46 Ford coupe with my dad... When I got back home the car was gone, along with two 41 Ford sedans, a two door and a four door.... All he would tell me was they were gone..... some years later he finally told me that he hired a guy to dig a hole and bury them... Never would tell me where, afraid I would dig them back up.....

LynnW

 

Wow! I felt bad at only losing one. You lost a collection!