Date:         Fri, 30 Jan 2004 16:59:50 -0600
Reply-To:     "Warren.K.Lail-1" <wlail@OU.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Warren.K.Lail-1" <wlail@OU.EDU>
Subject:      Friday musings
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Hi all,

It was 14 degrees here this morning when I walked past ole "Billy Bones," my 88 Westy, on my way to the office.  Billy is named after "Billy Bones," the old sea dog of a sailor who took up residence at the Admiral Benbow Inn in Stevenson's "Treasure Island."  Billy, the character, was rough - sort of like my bus when I found it.  He was the man who sang the song everyone is familiar with: "Fifteen men on a dead man's chest, drink and the devil had done for the rest - yo ho ho and a bottle of rum."  

So, I stopped and paused for a moment to think about the transformation Billy's going through. When I came across him, he was on his last leg.  His owner had thrown in the towel and was going to pull anchor and heave to (Billy does not know this but he was about to be put out to pasture - for good).  He came to me with some dents and dings, a broken windshield, a torn and tattered topsail (pop-top canvas), broken skylight, grimy interior, bad tires, broken shifter, and an engine that leaked everything everywhere.  When I saw him I knew that with a little TLC he could offer many more years of service.  After all, he was a one-owner and had no rust.  So, I took the old boy on and sealed his leaks, scraped off the barnacles and gave him a decent paint job, replaced the topsail, gave him a new windshield, and now I've pulled his old heart out to give him a new AVP transplant.  Ole Billy looks pretty good these days even though he's still in dry dock.  I'm looking forward to getting my eng
ine from Leonard - and Billy looks forward to the day when he leaves dry dock and repays me with many voyages across this great land of ours.  I've spent many years behind the wheel of VW buses and some of my very best memories come from my bus trips and the other neat bus people I meet while traveling around.  Yup, these things are way more than just sheet metal and hoses and moving parts.  These vehicles have been transformed into cultural icons that bring together a diverse group of people under a single umbrella that we call the VW Vanagon.  I'm happy to know that there are lots of fellow drivers out there indulging themselves in this simple but expressive lifestyle.

Warren 
88 Westy "Billy Bones" (in dry dock)
87 GL
"He drank rum very strong all day, looking up somethin' fierce when spoken to."