Here's Where My Regret Comes In. Instead Of Standing There I Should Have Jumped Into The Passenger Seat And Taken The 200-Foot Ride Out Of The Studio.
When opportunity knocks we're suppose to open the door. Easier said than done most times as the majority of us are so busy with life's daily doings we either can't hear the knock or get to the door in time. I've been trying to take better advantage of some of the opportunities that come my way lately instead of putting things off until the moment has passed or worse yet the person has.
Several years ago I made some extra money detailing cars and a family friend had a collection of restored Model T's that I helped keep clean. He would always tell me that he'd take me out and let me drive one of them. I'd always heard that back in the day when they were new people knew how to drive two cars, the Model Ts and everything else. Unfortunately I kept putting it off until it was too late. I still haven't had a chance to put my driving footwork to the test working those three pedals.
My biggest missed opportunity of late actually took place the same day as one of the best opportunities to come my way in a while. Not too long ago I got the chance to get not only the Ala Kart in the studio but managed to get the Sam Barris Mercury in there at the same time along with their chaperon for the day, Roy Brizio. Not only was I one of the very few that have been able to spend a day with the Ala Kart shooting it but am the only one to get them together in a studio.
As great as spending the day with both of these rodding icons was the day eventually had to come to an end and the cars were being prepared to be loaded on their trailers. When it was time for the Ala Kart to get moved out of the studio, Roy jumped in, fired it up and drove it out. I stood there and marveled at the Hemi's exhaust note and wondered how many people have had the chance to even hear it run.
Here's where my regret comes in. It wasn't until the Ala Kart was loaded up that it hit me in one of those Homer Simpson moments that instead of standing there I should have jumped into the passenger seat and taken the 200-foot ride out of the studio. It wouldn't have been a long ride but I could say that I have ridden in the Ala Kart moving under its own power. That's a pretty short list I'm sure and I should have been on it. I hope to get another shot at it one day but this will most likely be a missed opportunity that will always be lost.