Dear Readers:
Dr. Ink’s conscience, such as it is, has gotten the best of him. He has lied to you. In his photo essay of his summer vacation, Doc portrayed himself as the owner of an outrageously expensive Lexus SC430, a hardtop convertible with enough technology to fly to Uranus and back.
In reality, those wheels belong to his overpaid boss. But it was time for the Doc to buy a new ride. To give you an insight into the automotive Doc, here is a history of his chariots, a “carography,” if you will:
1. A 1959 white Mercury Monterey, purchased in 1964 for $500.
2. A 1966 Mustang Fastback, acquired as a dowry in a 1971 marriage.
3. A 1975 Datus B 210, purchased new for $3,200.
4. A 1978 Datsun 510 wagon, purchased used, totaled in accident on beach.
5. A 1985 silver Mitsubishi pickup truck, purchased new, but sold after a year because it leaked during rainstorms.
6. A 1986 blue Subaru station wagon, purchased new for about $9,000.
7. A 1992 Plymouth Grand Voyager van, purchased new for $18,000, given away after two transmissions and 150,000 miles.
Doc’s new ride is a “Patriot Blue” 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser, retro in its style, distinctive in design from the endless caravans of shapeless SUVs, sedans, and minivans.
Which leads Doc to wonder whether journalists as a tribe favor certain kinds of cars. Would a journalist buy a car…
• With a symbolic name? (Rover, Valiant)
• With good cupholders for all that coffee?
• With copious back seats for dumping stacks of old newspapers?
• With a sun visor strong enough to tuck a reporter’s notebook into?
