Becoming a Classic

Photo taken by contributor Jim, a man from the SouthWest of Texas who has struggled with depression for much of his life.

About this photo: “I don’t know what age this truck is, but I am pretty sure that I am older. In the span of seeing this old truck and in the short time walking towards it, I saw more than a couple of men with their wives stop as they passed by this classic. You could see the awe and pull of the truck through the pauses and attention to some details that they would share with their disinterested partner.

Men love to look at old trucks. I don’t quite follow the appeal. Yet, while saying that, I had an old 56 chevy truck that I bought and worked on. While it was nice to have, it was a lot of work to keep it on the road and looking good. It was a head-turner and for that same man logic, I loved having what other men wanted.

So the question I have is at what point do men become classics themselves? We share a lot of the same high maintenance. We require a lot of upkeep. Parts are always breaking, rusting and falling into disrepair. Somewhere along our timeline, we have to put in the same efforts into ourselves in order to become a classic. Or we might as well be rusting away on cinderblocks in a field awaiting someone to come by and take pause, give a low whistle and say ‘I can fix this thing up.’

Take care of yourself. Become a classic!”

More from Jim at his website.

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14 replies to “Becoming a Classic”

  1. I love this! The photo and the description. I am becoming a classic and am trying to enjoy the journey. We may get a little rusty but we understand life so much more. By the way, some women love old trucks too.

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  3. Great post! The picture is awesome, the truck looks like a beast all its own. Your description is really interesting because I don’t think a lot of us look at men that way. So much of the time men aren’t interested in being a classic. I can appreciate this perspective you’ve shared with us. I guess a classic is always in the making, from the day you’re born you’re on your way to being classic. I think we call people classic when they are exhibiting the fullness of their character, what makes them unique and what’s made them always stand out.

    Thanks for sharing!
    eLPy

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      1. Hm…I would think classy is often classic but classic doesn’t always mean classy! Like “so-and-so is being classic so-and-so because they never behave in public”!

        Perhaps easier to be classic than classy? Or in a different context classic has the prerequisite of time and experience, so not everyone can be classic, but everyone has the chance to be classy!

        😉
        Cheers!

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  5. This is one of my favorite subject matters and you did a nice job of capturing it. Loved the prose that went along with it. Surprisingly, I haven’t a lot of old abandoned vehicles out in the boonies where I live. I like all things old—it comes with the territory. 🙂

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  8. what a great photo and an even better descriptive post. That is the first time I have heard a man admit that they are high upkeep. I have only heard that term used towards women and usually made in a derogatory fashion.

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