"My Grandfather And The Stanley Steamer"
I knew that my grandmother was one of the early "Hello, Central" telephone operators,
but I didn't know this: My grandfather sold cars!
I was crushed when my cousin Donna gave me the information.
I'd have gladly accepted the news posthumously.
Apparently he sold Stanley Steamers, and here's the story:
He wanted to sell one but they weren't noted for maintaining enough steam
to make it up one of the local hills.
He was showing it to a father and son,
stopped at the bottom of the hill and explained to them
the reputation these cars had for not being able to keep up
enough steam to make it up the hill.
Meanwhile, while he was talking, the car was generating steam as it idled.
Gramp put it in gear and made it to the top.
Sold the car.
* * *
"Explaining It To The Kids"
My friend Marli just reminded me that younger readers might wonder
why the people in my grandfather's time were driving carpet cleaners.
Stanley Steamers, students, were originally steam powered cars.
Not carpet cleaners or clams. Jack Benny drove one.
Don't ask me to explain Jack Benny.
Class dismissed.
Copyright © March 28, 2001 by Jack Blanchard. All rights reserved.
