Friday, January 3, 2014

Loose Ends

With more sadness than I anticipated, I must report the passing of Sherman, my 2002 Teal Blue Saturn LW300 Station Wagon. We had over 100,000 miles together, including innumerable trips to the flea market, a half dozen visits to BreyerFest, and one semi-harebrained emergency excursion to Chicago.

I pulled the plug today after the estimate of repairs from the latest escapade came in, and the cost to repair … was no longer justifiable. I had to let the Big Blue Drama Queen go. After I hung up the phone, I spent a few minutes in the office alone, crying like I lost a friend.

I will miss your awesome sound system, your generously-sized interior, your heated leather seats, and your smooth ride. Goodbye, Sherman Aloysius Gurdon, Rust in Peace.

Until his replacement can be located, I’ll be driving the family truck to work. I don’t think this will be long-term, as I’ve already located a couple of good prospects I’ll be looking at over the weekend. Another station wagon, I’m hoping; it’s fun to drive the truck, but a lower center of gravity and large enclosed cargo space are more suited to my needs.

Okay, now for some eye candy, to lighten the mood. And to tie up another loose end.

As I was going through my picture archive the other day, I discovered - to my amazement - that even though I’ve chatted about him repeatedly, I’ve never actually shown you my beautiful Sorrel Fighting Stallion here. So, here he is:


I picked mine up for almost nothing - for the cost of a better-than-average vintage Bay, basically - at BreyerFest several years ago, back when the Sorrel Variation was still a relative lightweight in the Vintage Breyer scene.

They were not unknown, but not as big a deal as they are today. A couple months back I was doing some random bits of research via Google and eBay, and the prices I saw they were bringing made my eyes blink a little erratically. I’m glad that he’s getting the attention he deserves, because I love that color on him, but I’m also really glad I manage to snag him back before he was cool.

I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again: Five-Gaiter Sorrel is a color that absolutely NEEDS to be revived - preferably as a Vintage Club-related release. Newer mold or vintage, I don’t care, thought I think it’d be both fitting and dashing on the Clock Saddlebred.

4 comments:

Corky said...

I'd never even seen a Five Gaiter in person until I acquired mine in a lot purchase; he's that unusual sorrel with a chocolate-brown mane and tail. The Fighting Stallion is amazing in that color!

LostInAn80sFog said...

I remember seeing one of these chocolate sorrel fighting stallions, extensive shading with eyewhites, at my first Breyerfest for $20. I went back and forth but reminded myself that even though I'd never seen one before, I was getting OUT of collecting not back in. Someone snapped him u[p, put him on their table for $40, and he was gone again in the blink of an eye. Sure wish I'd bought him as he was a stunner.

LostInAn80sFog said...

And lest I forget: RIP Sherman. I'll never forget you :(

Unknown said...

My dream..... Is to someday, someday own one of these amazing boys. This is defiantly my number one grail. I'm just always so scarred that I could be buying someone's custom work and not the real thing.....