In 2003, the Hampton Inn organization sponsored a caravan across the entirety Route 66. They awarded 66 sites along the Route with the above sign, with a short description of the property below. We felt very honored to receive one of the designations. It was especially fun because it happened the day before my daughter's wedding, and we had a big barbecue at Afton Station that night. The Hampton Inn folks were invited and enjoyed the celebration as much as we enjoyed having them. I just thought you might like to see the sign.
To be blunt (as well as grammatically atrocious), the 11th Street alignment of Route 66 in Tulsa ain't pretty! I suppose pretty is as pretty does, or maybe beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, or some other appropriate platitude, but the bare truth is that the majority of business that remain on this urban stretch of the Mother Road are small-to-medium-sized used car lots. (Or is that "Pre-owned" or "Gently Used"?) Sprinkled in with these lots are, admittedly, a few quite lovely architectural remnants such as the old garage now known as Rossi's, the Rose Bowl (see previous blog article), and the Tulsa Monument Company. But let's face it.... the landscape mainly consists of lot after lot, along with those long ropes of colorful flapping penants that are apparently required for every used car lot in the country.It occurred to me that I needed to offer a paean to those ubiquitous car lots, so last week I started jotting down their names. What I ended up with was..... a list of used car lot names! Now what? When in doubt, create poetry... well, some sort of poetry. Not GOOD poetry. Not even mediocre poetry. Actually, maybe it's still just a list. But if you read it with a lilt in your voice and consider the amateur poet who composed it, maybe you'll get it.
STREET ELEVEN USED CARS
Crow's, Arnie's, Bell's, Jack's, Diaz
Clay's, Abe's, Marie's, Scott's
A - 1
A + A
D + S
Triple J.
Auto Avenue
Auto Mex
Auto World
Auto Plex
Freedom
Comet
Master
Big Star
Green Light
Green Country
Bonanza
World
Best Choice, Get Right
Jiffy, Lucky, Select
Freedom
Master
Tulsa's Best!
4 comments:
I love the poem! There's a song called "The Have Nots" by a band called X, and they list various bars. "Dexter's New Approach and the Get-Down Lounge...the Aorta Bar, Detroit's main vein..." Your poem of car lot names reminds me of that...it takes on a rhythm of its own!
Hugs, Beth
It's definitely a cold, rainy, and dark day in Tulsa and one that just screams CHILI!
A friend called a bit ago and said her sister had stopped by to take her to lunch at Ike's Chili House (east of downtown Tulsa). We had the same general idea and, while doing some grocery shopping earlier, I had picked up a can of the best quality chili I could find and some all-beef weiners. I just didn't have the gumption to make a batch of chili myself but by the time I doctor my hotdogs with mustard, onions, and sweet relish they will be fine. But Ike's is definitely now on my radar as I haven't been there in ages. It's reported that Martha Stewart claims that Ike's chili is the best chili in the country.
Ron
Beth, I'll have to check out that song by X. Sounds interesting.
Ron, I've been wanting to try Ike's too. Maybe we can do that soon! Meanwhile, enjoy your chili and weenie dinner tonight.
Ike's straight-up RAWKS. I eat there every chance I get. I was sad when their short-lived Carbondale location closed, but at least its demise gave me an excuse to cruise the Admiral alignment more often.
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