Applied Semiotics

Headed north on CA99 on my way to Fresno I passed this and had to pull over to take a picture. It seemed a fitting inaugural.



I couldn't get off the freeway until the next exit, then made my way back along the frontage road. Working my way back, I passed this:



While I was taking pictures of the gas station sign and the old datsun, the old man that owned the car noticed me outside.

"I saw you taking pictures of the car," he said.
"Yessir, I did take a picture of it. Is that OK?" I said.
"Who do you work for?"
"I work for Nissan. We built that car of yours, I guess."
"Well, it's a good car," he said.
"Yeah, a buddy of mine had one just like it in high school. It was a great little car. I liked the color of yours so much I thought I'd get a picture of it," I said.
"I didn't know if maybe you wanted to buy it."
"Does it run?"
"Not right now, I got to rebuild the carb, you know?" he said.
"When's the last it run?" The conversation had rapidly shifted to two rural men talking cars.
"Well, maybe about three years ago? "
"Has it been in your front yard all that time?" I asked.
"Where else am I going to keep her? Hell, I'll give you the goddamned thing, sonny." Yes, he actually called me "sonny."
I thought about it.
"Naw, I can't bring home another problem like that," I said.
"Think about it. It's a good car when it runs."

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