Keep The Rubber Side Down
Having spent a number of years racing cars I have a strong awareness of just how lethal the automobile can be. Granted, careening around a track in an open-wheel, open cockpit rocket with a high power to weight ratio at speeds that keep you right on the edge of hurtling out of control into a wall (they say if you're not scaring yourself you're not going fast enough) isn't the same as creeping along in rush hour traffic on the 405 at little more than 15 miles an hour. The latter is far more dangerous. At least on a track the drivers are paying attention and have some modicum of skill, most of them anyway, and you learn which ones you should worry about so you can keep air between you and them (made easier by the fact that everyone has a big number painted on the side of the car). The problem is, most street drivers think of their cars as appliances, like toasters, get them started and they do what you want while you focus on more important things. Having said all that, I admit that to achieve minimal credibility in this cartoon, I sketched the dashboard of my car while I was threading my way through traffic. But then, I'm a professional. Don't attempt to duplicate this stunt at home.
posted by John M Crowther @ 7:29 AM
6 Comments:
This is so close to the truth that it scares me. One of my best friends has seat belts for her dogs in the back seat. Now do we need a law for it?
Katherine
>>A smart cat behaves like a dog. A really smart cat comes when she's called. <<
In yet further defense of the feline, show me a smart cat that would behave as Attila is doing. I am assuming of course that the driver of the vehicle is addressing her dog of the same name.
I had a (she)cat once that would ride on the dash board of my truck, looking superior while sneering at dogs in the back of other pick-ups. Macho cowboys would make fun of her until once at a horse show, she beat a big black dog nearly to death. Had him whimpering and trying to open the door of his owner's truck to get away from her. After that, she rode on the dash board and we both looked superior, sneering at the dogs in the back of the pick up trucks and the macho cowboys.
John, once again, the composition of this cartoon tells me that you are now indeed a pro. Colour just where it is needed but not too much to distract from the subject. Way to go!
il professore, how is the 'Cat with no name' doing?
Katherine, it might not be a bad idea to have seat belts for large animals, says she, smiling.
My former wife, the ex-Signora Professore, found a kitten is the alleyways of Venice that she took with her whenever she traveled by car. The kitten became a cat, and being Italian would sit on the ledge below the back window and sleep or dream. I have no recollection of her sitting on the dash board, perhaps because of her fear of watching the way Italians drive. At no time, however, did she ever behave the way Attila is behaving in John’s drawing.
As for my present “no-name” feline, I am convinced that she does have a name, but I don’t know it and she has not intention of telling me. This air of the inscrutable is what I like most about the cats I have known.
Dogs may want to become and do become human because they love us, but cats --who at best only respect us-- are a far superior breed who see no reason to lower themselves to our way of behaving.
By the way, I have nothing against Attila-the-Dog; his need for attention is symptomatic of canines in general. In my opinion, Attila is in serious need of therapy or driving lessons.
Once again, you have me laughing, il professore. Having worked in Rome for three weeks once, I gave up driving after the first day. It is difficult to see where you are headed with your eyes closed, says she smiling.
John, were you following me yesterday?
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