The longest Lincoln in the world...

Vignette No 4

The longest Lincoln in the world

He looks older than he really is. He carries the years of a hard life in every wrinkle of his skin. He limps as he walks, and the leg that drags a little bit has caused that shoe to have more holes than the shoe on the good leg.

He makes eye contact with me as we cross paths on the sidewalk on a sunny summer morning. We both pause, and he asks me if I want to see the longest Lincoln car in the world. I hesitate at the proposal, but finally agree to follow him around the corner.

In a empty parking lot sits a 70's four door Ford Lincoln Town Car. The car is in pretty good shape, but other than this, there is nothing remarkable or extra long about it.

I start asking questions about the car, which makes him smile big and wide. As my questionnaire progresses, I start to realize that despite my assessment of the uniqueness of his car, for some reason, he really believes that this is the longest Lincoln in the world, but more importantly, I realize that this is a very precious possession, his pride and joy.

Our conversation goes long about cars and the money required to buy them. It ends with ways to supplement one's income by always keeping an eye for lost money on the street and sidewalks.