Simple Is Best

Today is my friend Lynn’s birthday.  Lynn is not one who normally eats lunch but on her birthday she made an exception and so we went out to a local tapas place.  As a surprise my friend Hannah and I picked Lynn up in my 1964 Morris Minor Traveler woody station wagon to make the big five-mile drive to downtown Durham.  It seemed appropriate to celebrate Lynn’s day in a car that was about her age.

I have been somewhat remiss in taking the Morris out of the garage as often as my Flying Circus English mechanic would like me to.  It is better for the car to be driven, but a car in North Carolina without air conditioning is not the best summer model.  But then again the Morris, with it’s heat coming from air that went past the sewing machine engine is not really a great winter car either.  Even though it is hot today I thought us three girls could stand the old fashion cooling system of windows open, especially the specialty front door wing windows.

I love taking friends out in the Morris because even though everyone my age or older grew up with crank windows and door handles you actually have to tug to release the latch it seems so foreign to them now.  My little robins egg blue wagon is a three door, which means it has two passenger doors and a spilt back door for the wagon part.  To get in the back seat you just lift the front seat up, no catch to undo or buttons to push.  The seat is only attached to the floor on the front and it just stays in place by gravity.

The car does not have a radio or a clock, but it does have a choke.  Even though I had not started it up all summer once I pulled out the choke and turned the tiny little key that looks more like a cheep luggage key, she started right up.  Obviously the engine mice that run the conveyor belt were still alive and able to run the tiny machine fine.

Driving the Morris around Durham just brings a smile to even the biggest sourpuss’ face.  We parked on the street and an older gentleman came running as fast as an old guy can without getting winded up to talk to us about the car.  I wish I had about 50 of these sweet little cars because I could sell one everyday I drive one.

As cars go there is not much to this one, no bells or whistles, just a squeaky little horn and a turn signal that flashes green on the stem that you flick up or down.  The best part is that without a back up camera or hydro turbo cooler engine there is not much to go wrong.  Yeah, and it gets 40 miles to the gallon.

I think there is a good lesson for long term living in my well-named Minor.  Keep things simple if you want to go the long haul.  Everything does not have to be a major deal and living with less stuff means you have a smaller load to carry.   So happy birthday Lynn, may your load always be light.