For some reason, Dan Rogers and Dave Lucas, both prolific contributors to this magazine, often CC me their correspondence. It may be because I have met both of them several occasions and consider myself a pretty good friend of each; but the two of them, for all their emails, have not met in person. Anyway, some of their exchanges are pretty interesting. Here is one that is centered around a third person, Richard Honan, also a contributor, that I think interesting or at least entertaining. - Chuck

From: Dan Rogers
Subject: Philosophy

When somebody uses the P-word, you probably immediately expect a discussion of Descartes or Plato or somebody like that. And, I do apologize. What I'm working up to is something more like the notes from an Archie Bunker meets Oscar Madison sort of conversation. Pretty basic stuff.

Once upon a time, back before, when I didn't get paid to stay home and turn perfectly good trees into chunks, dust, noise, and occasionally useful parts; I was a standup comedian. And, during the inordinately long periods between gigs, I worked as a classroom instructor for the navy. It was as good an opportunity to practice for my Real Calling, and to dabble in the world of the Great Philosophers, all at the same time as I was likely to get. Sort of.

Among other subjects, I taught a class to guys and gals who were expecting to leave the navy and strike out on their own. In order to illustrate the concept of personal resource management, I would pose a rhetorical question. Heck, all the great philosophers ask those rhetorical questions. The question was framed in the experience of just about everybody who has attempted to exit San Diego by car. It's just not reasonably possible that you will leave the Land of Endless Summer and head out to Hometown USA, without crossing at least one desert. So, the scenario is, you have left town at night and pass one of those signs that warns, "No Services for the Next 150 miles." You look down at your gas gauge and it's bouncing near empty.

The question: "Will you immediately floor it, and drive as fast as possible, so you can get there before you run out of gas?" A question that I repeatedly find myself asking myself.

This whole life-shtick is really just a race. A race with the undertaker, and the orthopedic surgeon. A race that nobody ever wins. My own skewed view is that, nonetheless, a guy should give it a good try. You can even lead the pack for a while.

I just met up with this guy, Richard, from North Tiki, Florida who turns out some really nice stuff. And, lots of stuff, too. Boats. Airplanes. And, his work is way better than mine. From the pictures he sent me; ALL his work is better than mine. I'd say that he's not only running that race; but he's leading at the moment. However, most of us have to pick one or the other: Will it be quick and high quantity, or slow and high quality?

One of those existential-philosophical-metaphysical questions. A question that has come up at my morning staff meetings for a couple weeks, now. I have a heckler, it seems. I don't think he's on the crew, exactly. When I look, there's nobody actually standing there. But I can sure hear him. "Boy, you really screwed that one up! The Real Guys wouldn't do such a slap dash job. What're you gonna' do to fix THAT???"

He can really get on my nerves, sometimes.

Bottom line, is that my heckler completely misses the point of the exercise. Like, just about all of us home builders; when somebody says "Hey, that's a cool boat! Build it yourself?" I'll be honor bound to point out how I didn't quite get this joint completely tight, that blemish over on the caprail, and so forth. Honor bound to admit to my screw ups. And, all the while that guy who just walked over from his million dollar fish killer at the launch ramp is REALLY SAYING: "You didn't just go write a check for that boat. You actually dreamed it up. You actually BUILT that thing!"

The whole thing in a nutshell. The real joy in all this-for a small minority of our population, who simply don't seem to be able to follow directions-is the figuring-out-process. And, more to the existential part of the equation; unlike my heckler, I'm really fascinated to see what I'll come up with next. It's just, that I have to hurry up and get this idea implemented, because another one is all but bursting at the seams to get attention. Once solved, it's lost and forgotten. On to the next thing.

Maybe it's more about dreaming up the questions. Finding answers, is for those guys who can actually follow directions. Anyhow, I've got a boat to build. I just wonder what it's supposed to look like.

*****

From: Dave Lucas
Subject: Re: Philosophy

It really is hard to put into words how we feel about the things we build; it's a feeling that we have to create something all our own. My new boat Lurlyne is back in the shop getting her back end lengthened. Some new guy stopped by and ask if I felt really bad that it hadn't worked out right. I told him that thought never entered my mind, I would be shocked if it had come out perfectly. I have a need to keep fooling with these boats to get them just the way I want them and if they really don't work out I'll just strip off the hardware and burn the hull and start over, this is what we do. If I wanted A boat I'd just go out and buy one, I want MY boat.

I really hesitate to tell you this Dan but besides being a genius at almost everything, Richard was a university professor teaching,,,,,, are you ready for this,,,, Philosophy. His shop is like the Bat Cave. Whole walls of electronics, and avionics and plumbing and mechanical and gantries for moving things and he knows everything about it all, kind of like you. When I discovered that he had been a college prof I stopped him and told him that I bet I could guess what he taught; not math or physics or chemistry but some bull shit useless class like French poetry or Philosophy. He busted out laughing till we both had tears. I like a man knows how to push the envelope. Wait till you see his "trolley in a cave" system he made for getting in and out of this long skinny boat he's building. Dave

*****

From Dan Rogers
Subject: Re: Re: Philosophy

Good morning Richard.

If he didn't already put you on a bc for this one, I'm forwarding it for a couple reasons. (a) It's always nice to have folks recognize somebody with talent-especially in our rather rarified little family of polymath genius'. (b) Dave is in rather rare form, here. I, at least, normally get more of the brusque "locker room/barracks" persona from him. We've been carrying on a sort-of Odd Couple correspondence that occasionally goes very public, for 7 or 8 years now. We've never actually met, not even spoken on the phone. But, I consider him a friend, and would love to go on a "pilgrimage" and visit the Tikitroops someday.

At any event, we'll keep you "in the loop" for as long as you care to be. Welcome aboard.

And, delighted to hear you are from the Humanities Dept. I had a bit of an interchange with a Phil 101 instructor, that I have never forgotten. Back as an entering freshman at the lowly local JC-now 50 years ago-I piped up in a crowded lecture hall, "Why do we need to know this stuff!?!" Pretty brave for a clinically-confirmed introvert. He, faced me. Drilled me through with the most utterly disdainful stare. And, simply answered, "So. You. Won't. Be. A. Damn. Fool." Quite a beautiful performance. And, I'm eternally thankful.

Dan from Almostcanada