Car Watch

Something we did our first full day in Sarasota, my father and I, was to do some driving around town. It was marked substantially by awe at how little there was left in that area of town, and this got us into some discussion of partisan economic policies, but we were not entirely in the doldrums. In addition to locating the area where he and his family had often vacationed during the 60s, we came upon a modest car museum. The reality is that whenever you spot a building with cars on the roof, you have to stop.

We wandered in seeing no one in particular appearing to be in charge. It was a bit musty and dark apart from light entering through windows. The cars to be seen were to my eyes an uneven bag, but Dad had some appreciation for or awareness of about everything there. Most important to him were restored models of his own project car, but also of great interest were a variety of classic American, British, German and Italian cars of various vintage. The thing I can't stop thinking about was this diminutive yellow and green monstrosity which looked to me something like the car which would have brought Oakland A's relievers out to the mound in the '70s.

There were a number of tiny cars even aside from the traditional British Mini Cooper they had. I was stunned by the typical offering which once typified BMW, for example. Also of some interest were a Delorean, cars associated with various famous people, and some simply massive old American cars from Packard among others. I kept looking at them and thinking they could go right through a brick wall with just scratches. Dad said there was more steel in some of their hood ornaments than in a modern car. I think he was kidding a little.

After being there for a little bit, we went to leave, and were surprised to see that we were meant to have paid. We did so, and the lady who took the money was by turns grateful for our superhuman decency and shocked that any mortal could have made it by her. After stepping outside, we found that there had in fact been plenty more to see. I blame the deficient floor plan of the building. Feeling there was no reason why we ought to pay twice, we circled around to the entrance for the other cars, and made sure we saw everything. It was a neat place.