I love telling this story!!

So many years ago, at a convention, Ralph Myers tracks me down. He had bought an old Packard in Caldwell (Idaho) and because I live in Boise (Idaho) he asked if I would pick it up and drive it to Boise. He could save quite a few dollars getting it shipped from Boise instead of Caldwell. So my now-soon-to-be-ex-wife and I drove to Caldwell and I drove that old Packard on the old Nampa-Caldwell highway (seemed appropriate) back to Boise. Only could get it up to about 35mph.

I had never driven a stick shift where the shifter was in the steering column, so I had to call my parents and ask them how to shift it (for those under 50, you have to think of it as an H; reverse in the upper spot closest to you, with first being the lower closest to you, then second and third going away from you).

It took about an hour because it was such a gas guzzler that I kept having to pull over and put gas in it!!

I got it about half a mile from home and it completely died. So I got back in my car (an '03 Honda Civic hybrid, which I swore could drive itself after muscling that old Packard back to Boise) and towed it into my driveway. And the moment I closed the door on that car, everybody in the neighborhood came out to have a look! I was the star of the night, that's for sure.

The next night, we grilled hot dogs while everyone in about a 3 block radius came over and poked around that beautiful old car. I heard about 47 different variations of "that looks like it belongs in a gangster movie!" People got in and took pictures. Everyone had their phones out and posted pictures on MySpace (like I said, many years ago).

And the next day, it got loaded on the back of a truck and was on its way to Las Vegas.

A week later, Ralph sent me two pages of $1 Nevada chips; 50 in total, all in perfect condition, to say thank you. That's when I decided to expand my collection from $1 Las Vegas chips to $1 Nevada chips. Last year at the convention, I bought my 1,500th $1 Nevada chip. Not a bad start, thanks to the seed chips Ralph sent me.

At the next convention, I saw Ralph and asked him about the Packard. He never could get it to even start, so it had to be sold off for parts.

He always apologized whenever I told this story for what happened. For Ralph, he always felt bad about everything that happened along the way. But for me, the chips were an afterthought and a very kind gesture. I got to drive a Packard! I had never been in one before and I may never be in one, none the less drive one, ever again. But I have a cherished adventure driving a Packard 29.5 miles. The looks I got, people honking their horns and yelling "NICE CAR!", barbecuing over 100 hot dogs while an entire neighborhood came together over an automobile. Forty eight hours I will never forget!

Life, for me, is about the experiences: good, bad, ugly, amazing. Ralph Myers gave me an experience I have treasured and will treasure for the rest of my life. And for that, I will forever be greatful.