Saving The Old Rustbucket--My 1982 FJ40 Tale (2 Viewers)

[Sea Knight]

This always reminds me how much I miss the old man.....

Thanks Butch. I know what you mean.

...you have to try Stone Imperial Black IPA. For a stout and west coast IPA fan(which i am as well) its the best of both worlds. careful though its potent.

Haven't tried that one, but I'm a Stone IPA fan. Potent is good. Will look for it, and thanks for the tip.

Damn, just want to say thanks... It's taken me 3 days to get up to here, glad to see the journey is not over at page #48!

That's right, the journey isn't over at page 48. It's never over.

Just wanted to say thank you for opening my eyes and inspiring me to get back to what I love doing, learning to enjoy the journey and not focusing all my energy on the destination.

You're welcome. I'm pretty sure we're all on the same page here. Work on the journey and the destination will take care of itself. It just took me longer to figure that out than the rest of you.

Haven't been motivated to write much recently. First Father's Day without my Dad has been rougher than expected. I was just thinking that if he were here tonight and heard me using him as an excuse for not writing, he would not be pleased. He'd tell me to cut the crap, and get it done.

I will, Dad. I will, and soon.

 

[myquestoyota]

Waiting patiently.

Take all the time you need just be quick about it. Know the feeling well.

 

[Sea Knight]

Butte-Part One

“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.” ​

-- Jack Kerouac​

The ride to Butte from our roadside meditation outside Whitehall is less than thirty miles, a scant half hour at turtle cruising speed. We continue west on Interstate 90, cross the Continental Divide outside Pipestone, pass through Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest, and soon we've reached the outskirts of Butte without even breaking a sweat. In the weeds a hundred yards off the road is a beat up old sign advertising RD's Travel Stop. It sounds like a locally owned business. We decide to check it out, gas up, and ask a native for a dining recommendation.

RD's is a glorified convenience store several blocks off the highway, Conoco gas pumps outside, a steady flow of working folks going in and out, reminding me of Alsup's in Spearman, Texas. There's a line of pickups at the pumps. I wait for our turn, fill the tank with real gas, park at the outer edge of the concrete apron, go inside and ask the clerk where to find a decent breakfast. She's early 20's, overweight, purple hair and piercings, bloodshot eyes, smacking hard on a mouthful of gum. I should have known what was coming.

"We got McDonalds, Waffle House, Burger King, and if you want nicer, we got a couple of IHOP's."

Not what I had in mind. I ask if there's any place the locals go to eat. She works her gum, thinks, shrugs, draws a blank and says "I guess there is...I wouldn't know." And that's it. I thank her and begin making my way back to The Turtle, formulating plan B for locating a diner.

Outside, right on cue, is just the guy I've been looking for, standing in front of The Turtle holding a steaming cup of RD's coffee, taking an occasional sip, looking at the truck, deep in thought. If this was a western movie, he's the guy you'd call "old timer." He's wearing denim overalls over a starched white dress shirt, spit shined boots, snowy white hair, sporting a fine looking stash, his outfit topped off with a baseball cap that says "Korea Veteran," a Purple Heart ribbon crookedly pinned to the side of his cap. He looks like a stock character straight out of Hollywood central casting, a cross between Teddy Roosevelt and Wilford Brimley. Before I can speak...

Old Timer: "This yours?"

Me: "Belongs to a friend, but yes, I'm driving it"

Old Timer: Grunts... "I drove one, in the 50's. Helluva a rough ride."

Me: "Maybe you're thinking of a Jeep. This is a Toyota. A Land Cruiser."


Gives me a look. I recognize the look...he's beginning to wonder if I'm an idiot...


Old Timer: "I know what a damn Jeep is."

Me: "No offense. I didn't think Land Cruisers were imported to the states until the 60's."

Old Timer: "I didn't say where I drove it. It was Japan. After Korea. Stationed at Zama. Army Engineers"

Me: "Where is Zama? I've been to Tokyo, and Yokosuka. Never heard of Zama."

Old Timer: "Camp Zama. Army base. Thirty miles from Tokyo."

Me: "Oh. And the trucks you drove looked like this? Like the 40's?"

Old Timer: "Not the 40's. I just told you, it was in..the...50's, at Zama. Nine...teen...fifties."

Me: "Yeah, sorry."


We seem to have a small communication problem. I decide to change the subject before he punches me out.


Me: "You live around here?"

Old Timer: "Do I look like a damn tourist? Been here all my life, except for my vacation with Uncle Sam. Why?"

Me: "Could you recommend some place I can get a home cooked breakfast? A place that isn't a franchise restaurant?"

Old Timer: "You want fancy, or you want real food?"

Me: "Real food, like biscuits and gravy, bacon and eggs, that kind of food."

Old Timer: "Gamer's Cafe is what you want. Downtown on Park. Looks fancy, but it's not. Best breakfast in Montana."

Me: "Thank you. Gamer's it is."


Now I'm on a roll. The old timer and I have made a connection, over food. I decide to ask him about Kerouac's "perfect bar," the famous M&M Cafe and Bar.


Me: "Being a local, I guess you know about the M&M Cafe?"

Old Timer: "Yep. What about it?"

Me: "I've read about it. Wondered if it was still open. Wondered if it was worth seeing."

Old Timer: "It's a goddam $hithole. Don't waste your time."

Me: "D'oh...I read somewhere that it was the best bar in America. Jack Kerouac said so."

Old Timer: "Maybe 50 years ago. I told you it's a $hithole tourist trap. And a dirty $hithole at that."

Me: "OK, got it. Well thanks again for the tips."

Old Timer: "Any time, young feller."

Me? Young feller? It's all a matter of perspective and coming from him, I'll take it. I don't laugh. As I climb into The Turtle, the old timer walks away toward a row of parked pickups. He walks slowly and with a pronounced limp, hobbling more than walking. Could be anything from arthritis to a work injury to being wounded in Korea. I remember his Purple Heart ribbon and imagine that it's from Korea. There's probably a story there, because this is the road, and on the road, everybody has a story.

...to be continued

 

[yooper]

I can see this conversation in my head, young feller.

 

[twoyotas]

"Not the 40's. I just told you, it was in..the...50's, at Zama. Nine...teen...fifties."

HA! I can hear this old timer walking away muttering about dang fool kids not knowing the '40s from the '50s now, dagnabit! And that Kerouac was a damned hippie anyway, why do they always want to see that $hithole tourist trap just because he recommended it? Tell me what a Jeep is? I was driving Jeeps before you were a twinkle in your momma's eye!

 

[G-Cat]

Worth the wait!!

 

[cruiserjunkie]

Thank you

 

[Black Rhino 13]

Awesome! So, what was it that he drove in Japan? FJ40 or a precursor?

 

[yooper]

Probably a Toyota BJ

 

[Sea Knight]

I can see this conversation in my head, young feller.

Yeah, I'll bet you can. At least he didn't call me sonny.

HA! I can hear this old timer walking away muttering about dang fool kids not knowing the '40s from the '50s now, dagnabit! And that Kerouac was a damned hippie anyway, why do they always want to see that $hithole tourist trap just because he recommended it? Tell me what a Jeep is? I was driving Jeeps before you were a twinkle in your momma's eye!

Pretty much exactly how it went down. I'm sure the old timer told all his friends about our conversation, and how there wasn't much hope for society with people as dumb as me running the country.

Awesome! So, what was it that he drove in Japan? FJ40 or a precursor?

After I got to Seattle several days later, John Holmaas (Landpimp) and I tried to figure out what he would have driven in 50's Japan. Since it was after the Korean war, it would have been mid to late 50's. We decided it must have been either an early BJ, which was developed specifically for the US Army and called the Toyota Jeep BJ, or a 20 series. I don't think they were called Land Cruisers until the 20 came along. Some Cruiser historian here may have a better guess, but that's what John and I came up with. I think it was a BJ.

BTW, the old timer looked like a guy who had a few tales to tell. I'd have offered to buy him breakfast at the Gamer cafe but he was gone in a flash. I must have pi$$ed him off by asking about that "$hithole" M&M bar.

 

[juanchogaviria]

Thanks Lee!

 

[Sea Knight]

Salty Language Advisory

I received a couple of complaints about the language used by the old timer in the last chapter. I apologize if anyone was offended, but he said what he said. I know, because I wrote it down immediately after our conversation. It was an editorial decision. I felt that if I sanitized the old timer's language, he wouldn't have been the same person.

In the future I'll post a salty language warning in advance of any potentially offensive dialogue, but I'm not gonna leave it out. Real people, particularly from the old timer's generation, talk like that. You know it, and I know it.

Lee

 

[kling-on]

I received a couple of complaints about the language used by the old timer in the last chapter. I apologize if anyone was offended, but he said what he said. I know, because I wrote it down immediately after our conversation. It was an editorial decision. I felt that if I sanitized the old timer's language, he wouldn't have been the same person.

In the future I'll post a salty language warning in advance of any potentially offensive dialogue, but I'm not gonna leave it out. Real people, particularly from the old timer's generation, talk like that. You know it, and I know it.

Lee

Realy ??? Who the hell would think that ???? I had to re-read it to even find it. Great job keep it up don't change a thing .... He talked just like he should and it paints a picture in my mind for sure

 

[2thdoc]

Tell it like it happened - please!

 

[myquestoyota]

I received a couple of complaints about the language used by the old timer in the last chapter. I apologize if anyone was offended, but he said what he said. I know, because I wrote it down immediately after our conversation. It was an editorial decision. I felt that if I sanitized the old timer's language, he wouldn't have been the same person.

In the future I'll post a salty language warning in advance of any potentially offensive dialogue, but I'm not gonna leave it out. Real people, particularly from the old timer's generation, talk like that. You know it, and I know it.

Lee

Wow! I had to go back and read it to find the salty language. To those that are offended I can only say don't read any more, that's YOUR choice. The language is as much a part of the story as the rest. Write it like you see it Lee.
Carry on.

 

[juanchogaviria]

Keep tellin´it like it is, sorry for those who don´t agree but we have been waiting long for this chapters, a story is a story...

 

[Texican]

I received a couple of complaints about the language used by the old timer in the last chapter. I apologize if anyone was offended, Lee

reminds me of my favorite Billy Joe Shaver quote which offends some

"If ya don't love Jesus, ya can go to hell"

 

[bruff]

Keep writing it as it was, not an edited version. That is what keeps the story real - not fabricated in any way. Continue with the great writing.

 

[Black Rhino 13]

I wonder what the Old-Timer would think about this? I have some ideas about what he'd probably say.

Please don't cancel my subscription. Staying tuned...

 

[waiting for time]

I wonder what the Old-Timer would think about this? I have some ideas about what he'd probably say.

Please don't cancel my subscription. Staying tuned...

I guess that would really open him up