Jaguar's

I lived in Compton California when I was in the 6th grade. One of the few white kids in my school. I kept to myself and walked home fast. It didn't always keep me safe. It must have been fun to pick on the scrawny white kid.

I remember the guy across the street from my Grandparents house. I don't remember his name, but I remember he had a big gate at the front of his driveway where the front of his house began. Behind the gate, in the driveway, and in the garage, and sometimes even in the back yard, were Jaguar cars. Some restored. Some in the process of being fixed. Some in the garage or really 'The Jaguar Workshop'. I don't remember him ever parking one in the driveway though. They were always hidden behind that big wooden gate.

Of Course, I was just a kid. I had no appreciation at the time for the craftsmanship and prowess that was associated with the 'Jaguar' cars. The neighbor was obviously a collector of Jaguar cars. He owned several of them and fixed them up behind that big wooden gate.

He showed them to me once. I had no idea what an awesome thing he was sharing with me at the time. All I knew was that he had an avocado tree in his front yard. I didn't appreciate them at the time either.

Now I like avocado's and Jaguar's...but still can't afford either one.

I guess some things never change.