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Norman

Daily writing prompt
What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?

I was thinking this morning about the effects of time. Not just on people but on objects. It fascinates me.

When I was a kid my Dad drove a 1975 GMC Sierra half ton truck. We called him Norman, (the truck not my Dad). Single cab, no backseat, just three seatbelts, (not like we used them). A gun rack mounted across the rear window.

The interior was dark brown and all of the areas that were plastic had a textured appearance. Little squiggles imprinted in the interior, I suppose the designer thought would add to the ambience. But the spot where he rested his left arm up on the edge when the windows were down, was completely worn flat and smooth. It was a small oval shaped area no more than six inches in length, and it had all that texture in the plastic flattened right out and gone. From his arm.

I remember looking at it and touching it. How was this possible? How could one man within a lifetime, much less ten years, with one arm resting there, cause that area of the plastic to become smooth like that?

I noticed this same thing and was equally fascinated by it, when the rough bark on the black poplar trees would become completely smooth, from the cattle just passing by too closely. At times, the cows used these trees as itching posts. But still, how could such rough and deep crevices in the bark become so smooth?

Little by little I guess. Day by day, hour by hour.

It’s something I’d love to watch on a time lapse recording. Just so I can see it unfolding before my eyes.

My thoughts on a long life are very pragmatic and unromantic. Life is about quality not quantity. Anyone who disagrees needs to go spend some time in a long term care facility and see for themselves that a beating heart and a mouth being fed does not equal life.

Screenshot
Paint Lake 2017ish

19 responses to “Norman”

  1. remind me of an old plow truck a family used but was neglected after the father died in a construction accident.

    it certainly exists, but is it living?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Aww that looks so much like Norman! Except he didn’t have cab lights…his fenders rusted out almost exactly the same way…and he was blue.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. You go, girl! I share your sentiments.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Susan!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. This was written so warmly and such easy detail that I could almost feel my hand running over the worn area. Life is for living! ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Stephanie ☺️
      Yes it is!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Indeed it’s about quality!! I want to be able to enjoy life not watch it slip away while I’m in a skilled nursing facility bed bound

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Exactly!

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Thank you for sharing; this reminds me of home. My grandfather had a sierra, and my dad a 76 Chevy pickup, as well. If we were running errands or working on the farm, we were in one truck or the other. No a/c, no radio, just windows and memories

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Dirty windows at that lol

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Totally! Ain’t nobody got time for that. Besides it’d just get dirty again from the mud or hay.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. And it’s so nice to find fellow farmers 🥂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. As a kid and in my teens, I certainly threw my share of hay bales and drove a Case or Farmall. Not so much anymore lol

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Well me not so much anymore either ☺️

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Still, these things shape us to be the humans we are now. I’m glad we can share in that

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Kin

        Liked by 1 person

  7. Truly 🍻

    Liked by 1 person

  8. As a gearhead, I found your post today quite fascinating.
    .
    First off, Norman is a great name for a truck. Short, gruff, and very American sounding; like a guy you drink beer with.
    .
    I don’t know if embossing plastic or vinyl makes it more durable by hiding scratches and scuffs. But with the leather-look, it definitely adds ambience.
    .
    Incredible heat and pressure are used to emboss (like an industrial grade rolling pin) so it really is quite amazing that one man over a couple years could ‘buff’ the plastic smooth … with their elbow!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Aww thanks so much!! Yessss Norman with the 350 four barrel was part of the family and my sister and I would pull up to parties in that thing in high school lol….as a kid I couldn’t imagine our family without him and when the rear fenders rusted out completely and Dad had to park him I dreamed up this big plan that I would be rich someday and pay a guy to completely restore him for my Dad…but it didn’t happen lol (the me getting rich part)

      Liked by 1 person

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