THE RUSTING, ABANDONED TRUCK

         I miss my pick-up truck.

         No, it was not this one.  Mine was a 1997 Ford Ranger with 'backseat'.  Some might attribute the longing to having a tad of 'residual redneck' . . .but I plead 'Innocent'.  It was just a fun vehicle.

   A client once told me that his brother's dying words to him were "Keep on truckin'". That encouragement has meant much to him at times when the temptation was to put life in 'neutral' and 'coast', if not even to put life's transmission into 'Reverse'.  But, to this particular truck.

     I wonder about this one.  Happened upon it recently on the grounds of a nearby Conference/Camp center.  Looks as if it has been there for some time.  Judging from the size of the trees around it, several Springs have come and gone since it was left here.  No doubt there was good reason at the time to 'park' it here, permanently.  

    The sight resonated with me for reasons that are still unclear.  My initial responses were sadness and curiosity woven together.  Sadness perhaps has to do with the transiency of things we considered, if not durable, then at least 'long-lasting', including our selves.  We are a 'use it up, throw it away, get another one' society.  When the attitude extends to people, 'Bad Things' happen.  It becomes particularly pernicious when individuals  adopt that cynical view as 'self definition'.

   Lucky Strike cigarettes  used the motto 'LSMFT' for their own advertising purposes.  In human terms, it can mean "Low self- esteem means Friction and Trouble".  But I digress and  this does not answer the meaning of the 'Parable of the Rusting Truck'. 

   Sad, also,  that what had at one time been a 'healthy individual' and 'contributing member of society' had been relegated to Junk.
So absolute, so final.  Could nothing be recycled; was there no 'organ bank'? Was there 'potential' yet unrealized, unused?  Well, obviously, the answers are unknown. Circumstantial evidence, strong.

    The curiosity focuses on matters such as 'whose truck was it', 'for what purposes was it used'; 'when was it in its prime'; 'what brought its demise'; 'how did this place come to be selected as final resting place'; 'how long has it been here'; succinctly, 'what is (was) the truck's  'Story' ?  Among the saddest of sights on the landscape are abandoned houses, abandoned churches, abandoned schools, abandoned  vehicles, abandoned  people. Tempus fugit . . .time flies.  Left there, it is enough to cause terminal cynicism. Is there nothing that is durable ?  What can we carry with us? 

    I am not ready to allow cynicism to have the 'final say'.  There are what a poet  (Wordsworth (?)) has  called  'Intimations of Immortality'. I prefer to continue scratching around for larger unfoldings, understandings of the intimations. 

     In the meantime, my client's brother's final admonition has merit, "Keep on truckin'". **

       Satchel

**  That client died a few months ago after a courageous struggle to keep his dignity and relationships.  He made his last visit to my office just a couple of weeks prior to his death.  He "kept on truckin' " to the end.  RIP  Butch.