A8 ON ROAD- BRUSH WITH GREATNESS - NE LISTERS

[Paul_Royal@isserv9.idx.com]

  Hi Folks,
       An interesting thing happened to me on the way to the forum...or the
  local grocery store in
  Exeter, NH.  I pulled up to do a little shopping early Saturday evening
  and spotted a beautiful
  "midnight blue" A8 with NJ plates.  I spent a few minutes checking it out
  and then decided that I
   would leave the owner a note telling him about the Q-list and asking
  him/her to send me a note.
   I left said note.  As I approached the grocery store I saw a
  distinguished gentleman checking
  out with his groceries and I surmised that somehow he looked like someone
  who might
  own a $60K automobile....so I turned around and headed back to my car
  which was parked
  by the A8.  Sure enough, the gentleman approached and I (pretending not
  to be the stalker I
   actually was) called out "Is this your beautiful car?"  The gentleman
  responded; "Well, it's in my care."

       I engaged him in conversation since he seemed willing and friendly
  and asked him how
  he liked it.  He stated that he didn't like the dash.  I asked him why
  and then he started in on the "
  red lighting" which he understood, but disliked, and then he indicated
  that he hated the small
  radio controls.  It is at this point that I get a cranial blip on the
  internal screen.

       So far I know:
       The car is not his...it is in his keeping......"An auto writer?"
       The NE Intn'l auto show is in Boston......."A Boston auto writer?"
       There is a copy of the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald on the
  front seat...."John White?"
       From previous articles I know:
       John White hates Audi "red dashes" because he is color
  blind......"John White?"
       John White spends much time on things like glove compartments
            and radio
  controls.................................................................
  ..........."John White?"

  Finally, I ask..."Are you John White?"
  "Yes, I am."
  "Oh, its certainly a pleasure Mr. White....I've been reading you for
  years."

  For you folks not from the Northeast US...or the Boston area....you may
  or may not be
  familiar with Mr. White who is probably the most famous auto writer in
  these parts....I
  believe that he is also nationally sydicated.  I'm not always a fan of
  Mr. Whites reviews,
  but he does know his stuff, and I do have respect for his opinions on
  most points.

  Mr. White and I talked for about a half an hour while his ice cream was
  probably melting
  on the back seat leather of the A8.  We talked Audi, we talked radar, we
  even talked
  about Phil Payne's little high intensity laser lights. I told him about
  the remarkable sight
  of having 5 ur-Qs in a row driving up Route 93 in NH.
   I invited him to stop by the Q-list and Dan Simoes page.

  As for the A8.  You can expect John White to be writing about how the
  Quattro is an
  experience to drive.  He likes Quattros very much (always has).  You can
  expect him to
  pan the dash lights at length and also to bitch about the radio controls.
  I personally
  found the A8 to be gorgeous in the flesh, but not as imposing a look as I
  had thought from
  the pictures.

  Well, I had fun, met a celebrity (in the motor press world) and got to
  check out an A8 as well.
  As a bachelor, I shouldn't tell you I was grocery shopping on Saturday
  night....
  but I've had worse Saturday nights.......

  Paul Royal
          90 90Q20v
          87 5Ks (gone, but not forgotten)
          67 SS/RS 350 Camaro (Capri Cream, Power Slide, Loaded, Slow)
          90 Suzuki VX800 (away for the winter)
          88 17
, Renken Elite 1700 (120 H/P I/O Merc)

          "Today's Anniversary: 1926...A ground-breaking is held for Route
66"