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If you ever thought that meeting up with your old high-school mathmatics teacher again could happen to be among your worst nightmares, imagine how it might be for the teacher. Mr. Ed Ritter was on the staff of the local high school for years and I bet he counted my buddy Jake as one of his least-favorite students (who was also his own son's best friend as it happens). After a stint at regional administration and then retirement, indeed Ed and Jake were to meet up again only this time math was not the subject but rather an old Dodge pickup truck that Ed had somehow unearthed, and had an attachment for. You see, in the years since algebra hell young Jake had managed to become a pretty good body/paint guy and after Ed's Dodge had been treated to a few chassis/driveline mods at a nearby shop it was time for just that. Why not make peace and have the work done by a guy you knew well? Even if you figured going into it that you each were probably just going to drive each other nuts all over again.
Jake got started and I knew the first time I saw the rusty hulk with the shiny engine that somehow I would wind up being involved. As the project progressed along I did a little fabrication where it was desired or helpful, and even pounded on fenders and doors a little to get the gaps and lines just right when everybody else had gotten to the point where they were about to strangle each other. Ed had more going for him then just his drive and dollars, Jake's sweat and my patience...wife Billy would come along at just the right time and unlike how a lot of spouses might be, she really brought a lot of enthusiasm for his old beat-up truck project.
All those involved stuck it out and the pickup came to to completion with the help of a couple others in town. Ed and Billie moved to their new retirement home in New Mexico and I haven't seen a lot of them since, although the invitation for me to come down and soak in the NM mountain hot springs is always open. I know Ed's gotten a lot of great fun from his Dodge and has a shelf-full of show trophys, and the latest point of pride is a feature in Classic Trucks Magazine the link for which is below. I just got the e-mail this morning, I figured it was just the lastest dopey joke but no, and it was fun to share his pride.
You kids who hate your teachers, you teachers who are annoyed by your students, watch out. You may have not quite seen-the-last of each other when that graduation ceremony is over. As Ed's truck shows that could be a good thing...
Jake got started and I knew the first time I saw the rusty hulk with the shiny engine that somehow I would wind up being involved. As the project progressed along I did a little fabrication where it was desired or helpful, and even pounded on fenders and doors a little to get the gaps and lines just right when everybody else had gotten to the point where they were about to strangle each other. Ed had more going for him then just his drive and dollars, Jake's sweat and my patience...wife Billy would come along at just the right time and unlike how a lot of spouses might be, she really brought a lot of enthusiasm for his old beat-up truck project.
All those involved stuck it out and the pickup came to to completion with the help of a couple others in town. Ed and Billie moved to their new retirement home in New Mexico and I haven't seen a lot of them since, although the invitation for me to come down and soak in the NM mountain hot springs is always open. I know Ed's gotten a lot of great fun from his Dodge and has a shelf-full of show trophys, and the latest point of pride is a feature in Classic Trucks Magazine the link for which is below. I just got the e-mail this morning, I figured it was just the lastest dopey joke but no, and it was fun to share his pride.
You kids who hate your teachers, you teachers who are annoyed by your students, watch out. You may have not quite seen-the-last of each other when that graduation ceremony is over. As Ed's truck shows that could be a good thing...
