My father drove a Deux Chevaux, this, a man who could have bought any car he liked, and he wrote books and we loved that car and we loved him for being that person, who other people in his position raised their eyebrows at, and wondered why he lived in a tiny cottage, too. Beckett drove a Deux Chevaux and Beckett wins.
I truly don't get it. I see those photos of the yacht and the car and the motorcycle, and it just looks tacky to me. No desire at all. If I won any of it in a lottery, I'd sell it the next day just to get it out of my hair, and use the money to buy some more freedom to do what I want without worrying about paying the bills.
Maybe it's a guy thing. It probably is, given that the random strangers who hit on me on social media all show me pictures of them standing next to these things. 🤷
The art though... you're right. Priceless and sacred and timeless. It's why I devote my life to writing about the Beatles.
I wish the lure of Things was a gender thing, but I doubt it - just different Things. It's human. It sucks, but it's human. And a life writing about Lennon and McCartney sounds like a great Thing indeed.
I didn't mean for that comment to come out as though I never covet material things. Of course I do! I meant only that I struggle to understand the appeal of sports cars, yachts and motorcycles. But no one here gets out alive... we all covet. We'd all be better if we didn't.
But you know, at least we're in good company, thinking of all the useless crap the Fabs bought (including an elaborate model train set, a lifetime supply of chocolate bars and a Greek Island) with their fortunes...
I've been riding all my life and Ducati's are lovely because they are Italian-designed. They are like Italian men. They are fast, sexy and they don't work.
"Los Angeles is the hideous demon spawn that might result if the Statue of Liberty went to a bar, ordered a drink, looked away for a moment and woke up two hours later to find herself being raped by The Golden Calf."
Right smack after responding to a prod to investigate Dave Chappelle 33 minute video clips.
What a laugh sandwich which subsequently will take me hours to align my glasses on my nose.
I just finished watching the Showtime Dick Gregory doc. Gregory has always been a hero of mine. Watch it - an absolute must regarding the power of humor and words - and not giving a fuck about Things.
Buy a bike. Or think again of investing in futures or commodities or such. Or buy a squirrel tail to hang from your radio antenna ( if you have one). But keep writing and raise your price.
A great read. As a man who spends his days in a crudely converted former cow barn (not the wooden sort) working with adults with learning disabilities I can assure you that this more than resonated with me!
I’d rather have the deuce cheveaux than whatever the fucking ugly grey car is. I’d like a pool because I love swimming, but imagine keeping that clean, and if you had a crafty fart in it, no pointing the finger elsewhere. How do you tell the time on that watch? Who has a watch these days anyway?
I have deep affection for the 2CV (my friend's looked better than the one in your pic), I traveled from Belgium to the bottom of Greece in one, the thing loaded to the roof with camping gear and when it conked out on a Greek mountain, and the only repair piece we had was a spare spark plug, and what it happened to need to get going again was, yes, a spark plug, we (2 mechanically-challenged college girls) fixed it. We also covered 11,000 miles in Ireland, cliffs and goat tracks, in the same crate and these two hard working horses never failed us. Deep bow to the 2CV. It warms my heart to know Sam had one. He was a man who knew what mattered in a pinch.
I’ve ridden in them when they were shadows of their formerly shadowy selves as taxis in Madagascar and Francophone Africa. There is a white and orange one here in our little mountain valley in Idaho that I often see driving from our village to a nearby hot spring where the owner bathes year-round. What a luxurious life with broad margins when it can be spent without meaningless, self imposed constraints. I think they call that freedom.
This is the best piece of its length I’ve read this year. Ok, yes, the year is new, but it’s also the best I’ve read for so long as my septuagenarian memory serves. Still not necessarily the praise I think it deserves, but the highest I can honestly offer. Thanks.
You also missed the ultimate consumable thing: imagine how many coronary bypass surgeries you could afford if you were rich. It’d let you eat that many more in n our burgers.
I want a P-51 Mustang, the D variant - maybe the C with the Spitfire-esque bubble canopy - a full time mechanic, and all the 100 octane avgas I could burn.
Alas, I live in a small house in the woods and work a 9 to 5. I’m not an artist, nothing I do will be remembered.
My father drove a Deux Chevaux, this, a man who could have bought any car he liked, and he wrote books and we loved that car and we loved him for being that person, who other people in his position raised their eyebrows at, and wondered why he lived in a tiny cottage, too. Beckett drove a Deux Chevaux and Beckett wins.
The THING I want is to write like you! Enjoyed every word. Damn, now I have to subscribe.
And pay for the subscription like a mensch!
I was a free(loading) subscriber but no longer!
I truly don't get it. I see those photos of the yacht and the car and the motorcycle, and it just looks tacky to me. No desire at all. If I won any of it in a lottery, I'd sell it the next day just to get it out of my hair, and use the money to buy some more freedom to do what I want without worrying about paying the bills.
Maybe it's a guy thing. It probably is, given that the random strangers who hit on me on social media all show me pictures of them standing next to these things. 🤷
The art though... you're right. Priceless and sacred and timeless. It's why I devote my life to writing about the Beatles.
I wish the lure of Things was a gender thing, but I doubt it - just different Things. It's human. It sucks, but it's human. And a life writing about Lennon and McCartney sounds like a great Thing indeed.
I didn't mean for that comment to come out as though I never covet material things. Of course I do! I meant only that I struggle to understand the appeal of sports cars, yachts and motorcycles. But no one here gets out alive... we all covet. We'd all be better if we didn't.
But you know, at least we're in good company, thinking of all the useless crap the Fabs bought (including an elaborate model train set, a lifetime supply of chocolate bars and a Greek Island) with their fortunes...
I've been riding all my life and Ducati's are lovely because they are Italian-designed. They are like Italian men. They are fast, sexy and they don't work.
I don't even love Things and I love this Thing. Best Thing I've ever read with my Saturday morning coffee.
Ok then.
This:
"Los Angeles is the hideous demon spawn that might result if the Statue of Liberty went to a bar, ordered a drink, looked away for a moment and woke up two hours later to find herself being raped by The Golden Calf."
Right smack after responding to a prod to investigate Dave Chappelle 33 minute video clips.
What a laugh sandwich which subsequently will take me hours to align my glasses on my nose.
God speaks in mysterious ways.
I just finished watching the Showtime Dick Gregory doc. Gregory has always been a hero of mine. Watch it - an absolute must regarding the power of humor and words - and not giving a fuck about Things.
I always liked him. Will do.
Thanks.
I don't even drive and I want that car now.
Me too !
Buy a bike. Or think again of investing in futures or commodities or such. Or buy a squirrel tail to hang from your radio antenna ( if you have one). But keep writing and raise your price.
Only you, Shalom Auslander, could cough up two words to be so repeatedly and bizarrely autocorrected … and thereby drive nose-first into the sublime
A great read. As a man who spends his days in a crudely converted former cow barn (not the wooden sort) working with adults with learning disabilities I can assure you that this more than resonated with me!
I’d rather have the deuce cheveaux than whatever the fucking ugly grey car is. I’d like a pool because I love swimming, but imagine keeping that clean, and if you had a crafty fart in it, no pointing the finger elsewhere. How do you tell the time on that watch? Who has a watch these days anyway?
I’ve got what I need and I’m happy with that.
Deaux chevaux. bloody auto correct 😡
Autocucumber. Something else they forced on us we don’t want or need, must always fight, and can turn off only sometimes.
Worse. It's DEUX Chevaux.
I’ve given up! 2CV from now on🤣
I can hear you pronouncing it a la francais as we speak!
I have deep affection for the 2CV (my friend's looked better than the one in your pic), I traveled from Belgium to the bottom of Greece in one, the thing loaded to the roof with camping gear and when it conked out on a Greek mountain, and the only repair piece we had was a spare spark plug, and what it happened to need to get going again was, yes, a spark plug, we (2 mechanically-challenged college girls) fixed it. We also covered 11,000 miles in Ireland, cliffs and goat tracks, in the same crate and these two hard working horses never failed us. Deep bow to the 2CV. It warms my heart to know Sam had one. He was a man who knew what mattered in a pinch.
Great. Now I want one even more. Thanks, Martine.
I’ve ridden in them when they were shadows of their formerly shadowy selves as taxis in Madagascar and Francophone Africa. There is a white and orange one here in our little mountain valley in Idaho that I often see driving from our village to a nearby hot spring where the owner bathes year-round. What a luxurious life with broad margins when it can be spent without meaningless, self imposed constraints. I think they call that freedom.
This is the best piece of its length I’ve read this year. Ok, yes, the year is new, but it’s also the best I’ve read for so long as my septuagenarian memory serves. Still not necessarily the praise I think it deserves, but the highest I can honestly offer. Thanks.
This is simply great. Thank you. My eyes (and heart) light up when I see your (pseudo)name in my inbox.
Oh, it's real, trust me. Fun childhood.
I'm sorry, but that's amazing!!!
“He nodded politely, gave me a thumbs up.
Nice guy.”
Damn.
You also missed the ultimate consumable thing: imagine how many coronary bypass surgeries you could afford if you were rich. It’d let you eat that many more in n our burgers.
Trayfe.
I want a P-51 Mustang, the D variant - maybe the C with the Spitfire-esque bubble canopy - a full time mechanic, and all the 100 octane avgas I could burn.
Alas, I live in a small house in the woods and work a 9 to 5. I’m not an artist, nothing I do will be remembered.
Such is life.
I do like the look of that watch though.
Mr. Auslander, you are good! I’m glad to know you. Jane