COVID-19

I’ve promised myself that I would avoid this topic, normally focusing on lighter fare in this blog. 

But occasionally some things hit you between the eyes, begging a serious response. 

The poem “A Clattering Train” was one of Winston Churchill’s favorite poems. It was written in the late 1800’s following a train wreck blamed on a sleeping crewman. 

It poses the metaphorical question throughout its text: Where is the leadership in the face of this ever-emerging crisis?

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Who is in charge of the clattering train?
The axles creak, and the couplings strain.
Ten minutes behind at the Junction. Yes!
And we’re twenty now to the bad—no less!
At every mile we a minute must gain!
Who is in charge of the clattering train?

Why, flesh and blood, as a matter of course!
You may talk of iron, and prate of force;
But, after all, and do what you can….
Man is in charge of the thundering train!

Man, in the shape of a modest chap
In fustian trousers and greasy cap;
A trifle stolid, and something gruff,
Yet, though unpolished, of sturdy stuff….

Only a Man, but away at his back,
In a dozen cars, on the steely track,
A hundred passengers place their trust
In this fellow of fustian, grease, and dust….

The hiss of steam-spurts athwart the dark.
Lull them to confident drowsiness. Hark!
What is that sound? ‘Tis the stertorous breath
Of a slumbering man—and it smacks of death!
Full sixteen hours of continuous toil
Midst the fume of sulphur, the reek of oil,
Have told their tale on the man’s tired brain,
And Death is in charge of the clattering train!

Those poppy-fingers his head incline
Lower, lower, in slumber’s trance;
The shadows fleet, and the gas-gleams dance
Faster, faster in mazy flight,
As the engine flashes across the night.
Mortal muscle and human nerve
Cheap to purchase, and stout to serve.
Strained too fiercely will faint and swerve.
Over-weighted, and underpaid,
This human tool of exploiting Trade,
Though tougher than leather, tenser than steel.
Fails at last, for his senses reel,
His nerves collapse, and, with sleep-sealed eyes,
Prone and helpless a log he lies!
A hundred hearts beat placidly on,
Unwitting they that their warder’s gone;
A hundred lips are babbling blithe,
Some seconds hence they in pain may writhe.
For the pace is hot, and the points are near,
And Sleep hath deadened the driver’s ear;
And signals flash through the night in vain.
Death is in charge of the clattering train!

Readers, please stay safe and enjoy your day. 

CUP HOLDERS

Until a few months ago I owned a very simple and fun 1995 Honda automobile whose main claim to fame was that it was equipped with two cup holders and not much else, unless you want to count the stereo cassette player.

In 1995, cup holders were a pretty nifty addition to a car; one gets to drive through the Grand Canyon while sipping on a 7-11 quart-size Slurpy. What better way to enjoy a driving experience? I’ll give Honda some flak, though. They placed the cup holders in a place that was impossible to reach thus making them irrelevant. Our other car (a 2004) is also pretty spartan in terms of accessories, having cup holders and not much else.

A few weeks ago the 2004 car had to be rescued by a tow truck from the clutches of a Safeway parking lot due to a massive automobile electrical failure. [As an aside, if you wish to place a curse on someone you dislike, use the phrase "may your car have a massive electrical failure". It's a fate worse than death]. In the end, the process of tracing the electronics of our 17 year-old automobile was time consuming and, at $125 per hour, exceedingly costly. So costly, in fact, that it led me to believe that we should replace the car with a new or newer model. 

To that end, in my calls to Honda, Toyota, Subaru, Hyundai and Mazda dealers, I asked the following question: "I'm looking for a minimally-equipped car...one that has cup holders as the only add-on feature." This simple question was met with total silence on the other end of the phone line.

What I discovered was that it is next to impossible to find a late model automobile that is minimally equipped. Thus, along with the requisite cup holders, car buyers have to invest in backup cameras, lane warnings, Alexa compatibility, Bluetooth such and such, MP3 hookups, digital thermometer controls, rear seat DVD players, etc., etc.

Given the fact that buying a new car requires an investment into a vast array of unwanted technical gizmos, I've decided to put the money into repairing the old car with the cup holders.

The $125 per hour repair cost is not so bad after all.

Readers, enjoy your day.