Thought I'd share this with you.
While at the car show yesterday with some other prewar friends,I watch an elderly gentleman with a walker entering the show and motioned to his daughter the direction of my 26 and proceeded to work his way to my car. He moved very slow around the car and I asked the lady with him his age and she said he was 99. He told me he learned to drive on one just like my touring. I asked him if he would like to set in and his face lit up. It was a struggle getting him through the passenger side but he shuffled himself behind the wheel and tears came to his eyes. He was in the car for more than a half an hour looking at things pushing paddles etc. He didn't want to get out.
I was the only T out of all of them. After getting him out his daughter asked him if he'd like to go around and see any of the others and he said no, he was ready to go home.
I took his number and will go by the seniors home for a visit and take him for a drive.
His visit was the highlight of the show for me.
All the kids were in the car as well for pictures
Those Magical moments are treasures we don't expect. Wonderful when they happen. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Rich
Great story Enos, thanks for posting.
Enos-I can relate to your story. Seems this happens about every time I take any one of my T's to a show. Doesnt matter if you walk home with an award, the real RE-ward is exactly what you experienced. I've been kicking around the idea of getting a couple of guys together and taking our T's over to the local home to take folks for a ride too. Just been "too busy" lately, but still time to do so yet.
Thanks for your moment. You really made his day.
Tim
I remember one of the rare times that I actually had the T up here in College Station (it normally lives a little ways outside San Antonio). I was doing some work on it with my brother, since I always love to tinker on it.
As we were working, a car pulled in to the parking lot and parked next to us. A lady came out from the driver's seat, and an elderly man slowly came out from the back. He said that he was 96 years old, and that he remembers riding around in a T very much like mine. He was there for a good half hour, asking all kinds of questions and telling me stories as I showed him the car. He was having a good ol' time!
You should have seen the surprise in his eyes when he found out that it is owned by a 23 year-old college student!
Wonderful story, Enos.... That's why it's so important, and so worth while keeping these pieces of history alive!
I love these stories. The same thing happened to us at the Centennial in 2008. The man's daughter explained that he had had a car like ours, so I asked if he'd like to get behind the wheel. He wasn't sure he could, but with some help he made it. He really enjoyed it.
This is why we have these cars, isn't it?
Thanks:
Yes there are some great story's out there I'm sure. Being a newbie I'm just now beginning to experience them. Hopefully I can make time this week to visit the nursing home and get him out for a drive.
Nice to see a 23 year old owner as well. I'm working on teaching my 16 year old to drive it. Hopefully he'll want to drive to College as well in it.
Yes the rewards aren't always the trophies.
Enos, as a side note, I just looked at where you are. In 1775, my 4xgreat-grandfather, Matthew Lodge, arrived in Cumberland County from Yorkshire and settled in Mapleton (then Maccan Mountain). Google Maps says it's less than a 2-hour drive from you.
The Carbon Canyon Model T club just did our annual visit to 4 assisted living centers. Here are some pictures. We are always well received and the last center we visited had a BBQ for us and the residents.
Ernie was warming himself on the radiator. He is 91 years old.
He is telling us how to fix the T.
A little heavy in the "rear" here.
Yes... we allowed our "Model A Brethran" to join us.
We took anyone who wanted a ride out for one. One old gentleman would not ride with my lovely bride. He didn't want to ride with a "woman driver"!
Man, that's the holy grail moment of owing an antique car!
Makes it all worth it.
Something like that just makes you feel on top of the world.
I live in Florida and the car event does not happen where some elderly man or woman does not stop by to reminisce about learning to drive on a Model T or some other story from their youth. I am not looking forward to the day when they are all gone as I get more enjoyment out of seeing the look on their faces than I do from anything else about this hobby! What am I saying, this isn't a hobby,it's a disease! Collecting stamps is a hobby.
The Michigan Jamboree did this .. had a bit of a car show at a retirement center. I think that's a grand idea .. boy, you sure get a lot of folks out looking, smiling, reminiscing .. Fun for all!
I am a member of Carbon Canyon and was on the tour this weekend.
I gave a lady a ride in my '23. She was born in 1921 in Nebraska. It was late morning, and the sky's were gray. I wrapped my quilt around her and she never stopped smiling. She said two things: "Everyone is waving" and "My hair, I can't let anyone see me".
One gentleman in the above picture looking at the engine in my Roadster (wearing a baseball hat), stopped to tell me, about changing bands. "Don't forget to put a rag on the right and left, otherwise you will drop something". I smiled and agreed, knowing I don't change bands, John does. It was obvious he has been around T's more than I.
He told me all about my Ruckstel too.
It was a good day. I was amazed on how they actually swarmed the cars to see.
I love to hear the stories that generation tells of having a T and a highlight from their memories.
Our car club (various makes) does a visit to a local nursing home each year. One gal (not that elderly)confined to an electric wheel chair fell in love with my T speedster. We talked about it for a long time with her asking a lot of relevant questions. Wish I could have taken her for a ride. Hopefully I'll have the hack ready for next year and we can work something out for her to get a ride. Great day.
Those are awesome pictures John.Everyone was wearing a smile. I'll bet he could teach me a thing or two on how to fix the T for sure and yes,no problem to keep warm by the radiator. Lots of great stories and hopefully I can experience lots and lots more in the future.
Dick I am not to far from Cumberland County. Maybe some of your relatives are still around there. I came over here to Nova Scotia in 1978 from Gander Newfoundland, I knew some Lodge's in Newfoundland as well.
Enos, I have relatives in NS and PEI. The ones in NS no longer have the Lodge name, but several in PEI do. I am also related to Browns and Harrisons, and by marriage to Blackburns. Anja and I were there in 1977 (driving a 1936 Austin Ten). We stayed in Truro and visited the Lodge homestead in Mapleton. I'd love to get back up there some day.
Great stories and a great way to share our Ts with others.
Respectfully submitted,
Hap l9l5 cut off
i got our club, t totalers, to stop at my mothers home once when the tour was going by. many, many of the folks waited on that hot day just to see us arrive. not all wanted to ride, and the ones that did had a struggle to get in, but they sure liked it. from then on every time i went to visit my mom most people recognised me and thanked me for the event. mom was 92, and has since passed but is a meaningful event for those people. keep it in mind for club outings
This gentleman came over to my car at a show this past weekend. He said he was 94 years old, born in 1919, the same year as my car. I had to get a picture of him with the car. The neatest thing about meeting people like that is how they always know how the three pedals operate. The younger crowd almost never does.
I had a lady stop my wife and I in my 25 touring in the parking lot of the local grocery store. She asked the year of the car, and said she was 1 year older, and had driven her uncle's car (a 25 Touring also) when she was a young girl in NORWAY!
I have had people ask me what year my car was.
Not everyone is a car person but most want to guess in the thirties. When I tell them my car is a 1911 they say really that old!.
Herb - Here's what really hurts! Our depot hack is a '27, and I've actually had (more than once) had people ask me if I bought it new! (???) Of course, my answer is NO!!! I didn't buy it new,.....the car is a '27 and I'm a '41!!!
By the way, one of those photos that John Aldrich posted above is my depot hack with one of three (3) full loads of "old folks"! It was, for sure, a fun day!
Harold, hold on,you mean to say you were 41 in 27'?! wow I knew you were old but I guess for being that old you look pretty good now. aaand as a young man in 27' we know you did not buy that T New, how used was it? I'm sure it beats the horse you most likely traded it for! Those were the good old days!! (I have always had a soft spot for picking on my friend Harold)
Hey Mike,.......you know,......awww shucks,......I forgot what I was gonna' say,......dang!!! Another senior moment!!! But you're probably lucky Mike, cause I'll bet whatever it was, it probably wasn't very nice,.....harold
Harold!! that reminds me of a joke maybe you have heard it before.
They say as you grow older you lose three things... First is your memory... second....the second is your...well I can't remember the other two.
boy can I sure drift a thread!