I live in a suburban neighborhood north of Austin that's become more and more diverse over the 17 years we've lived in our house. I was working on my green UZJ100 late afternoon the other day and I saw an older gentleman walking slowly around the corner. I'd guess him to be in his 70s, short, with a slight build, wearing a white Kufi head covering that I know usually denotes someone who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca. He walked past and I waved. Then I saw him slow down, stare quizzically at The 'Melon, and burst into a beaming smile. He approached, and it was evident he spoke almost no English. He tried communicating by pointing at the truck, tried a few phrases that I couldn't decipher, but then, out it came... "Land Cruiser?"! "Yes, sir, it's a 1999". He smiled, pulled out his phone, and after a few minutes (I thought he was going to try a translation app) he proudly showed me several pictures of a Middle East-spec 100 series, including one with him and his family in front of it. "2003", he said, "my Land Cruiser"! He then gestured to take pictures and he snapped a few shots of the truck and obviously sent them to someone and texted for a few minutes. He said goodbye and went on his merry way. The whole exchange lasted maybe 10 minutes, but to me it was a great reminder of just how popular these vehicles are around the world, how proud most people are to own them, and how Land Cruisers can connect people from around the world. I find myself smiling even as I type this to share it with y'all.
