Hal Traps the Turbo Porsche !!

[Hal Copple]

Us South Carolinians are beginning to have some empathy for Noah, what with all the rain virtually every day, more than in the past hundred years or so. Nobody is really sure how long, as Gen'l Sherman's boys burned our state Captital back in '65.

So when i left work about 5 pm, (1700 for the Ex. Military types), got home, dinked around a bit, and decided since it was the first sunny afternoon in days, put the key in the Great Stroker's switch, pushed it out of the garage, (otherwise, makes Abby my trusty Weimerainer cough all night if i don't), strapped myself in, and fired the beast up.

Cruised up under the warm now-westerly sun, then eastward around Charlotte, and about a half hour later, eased into the off ramp, gently going up a hill, at the top of which i wanted to turn right, onto a new lane, easing down a gentle hill. The entrance to the classy places was down at the light, a few hundred meters distant.

As i blinked my right turn, and blipped a downshift to ease right at the yield sign, i cleared traffic to my left, and what should i see coming right there but this very handsome maroon new Porsche Turbo car!!

What luck!! You just can't plan these meetings, so in a half-second i goosed the right pedal, and hurtled right up next to his open passenger window. Having seen me come up to him, the driver of the formidable German machine nailed his throttle for several seconds, squatting the fat rear of his car, but in another few moments he had to slow for traffic at the light just down the hill. His light was red.

I had him!! In part due to my great luck, and partly due to my crafty driving, my right turn lane down the hill was clear of cars, and the right turn arrow was beckoning me to hasten, so i grinned, eased up, and headed down the hill to take "pole position", since the Teutonic road warrior was trapped behind three cars in the next lane over.

As i slowly rolled by his flank, i sent him a thundering blip as i downshifted from second to first, hurling all sorts of sand and grit and partially burnt Dinosaur all over his shiny car, and some no doubt right into his open window. He was helpless, not a single one of his 415 horsepower was available to him to avenge his pride, as i slowly turned right into the restaurant area, grinning at my victory. i never looked back.

Then, swung around in front of two classy open air restaurants, and in order to complete the turn, i stabbed the throttle, just enough to spin the GT II's, and snapped the rear of the red/white stripe SPF around, then in a moment, i eased up a few feet, and rolled to a stop right in front of the patio. The place was packed with waiting patrons, so of course, i had to clear the Holley, and go thru my 4 minute shut down procedure.

Ate, and when i came out, the crowd was around my car, as usual, so i proped the hood, and discussed the merits of open air Carolina evening driving

Eventually, climbed in, latching up all the Simpson stuff, and went thru the start routene again, and eventually arrived home, a few deceased bugs here and there, smirking a bit as i recalled the Porsche encounter.

Gonna look for him soon, he is out there somewhere....