[Zeke]

I liked my dad until I got to know him. He was never much interested in me after about age 12. And before that we weren't a close loving family. I'm just a product of a marriage that didn't work.

He was a suit, president of the Rotary Club, member of the country club. I was a greaser. Not lifestyle, cars. He liked big fancy cars, I liked fast cars and VW's. He played golf. I played volleyball and baseball until I was 35. I raced karts from age 14 to age 47.

I've built or somehow restored or majorly improved somewhere around 30 cars. VW's (lost count) to Corvettes (5) to Porsches (7) and 2 MG's, a '36 and a '50. I've had a Chevy PU of one year or another since age 19. And then there were some motorcycles, no heavy iron, all light and fast.

He went to USC, I went to some college but fell short of 4 year degree. I was such an undeclared major that they were about to toss me out anyway, or just let me take classes that didn't give me any credit. I had a lot of English classes and welding. Somehow that doesn't help add up to a BA.

I've never worked for anyone more than 6 months, always on the hustle. He was Don Draper in Mad Men. Every bit of it. He wouldn't let me mow the lawn when I was around 13, he thought I was a flake. I had 2 lawn mowing accounts across the street. Never missed a week.

Bought my first car with my own money, a 5 year old (at the time) '57 283. I was 17. I was out of the house forever at 18. No more Corvette, a truck and a VW.

No fooking golf. No Lincoln Continentals. Night and day.