Ideal Imperfection

Roadkill @davidfreiburge

I have a conflicted relationship with patina. In fact, I’m annoying myself by writing this editorial column on a hackneyed subject while simultaneously feeling the pride of having a hand in the ratty-car trend to begin with. I’m not talking about so-called “rat rods,” I’m discussing the now-aged fad of building cars with all-original paint and wear-and-tear, putting all focus into the mechanical part of the program. What’s? That’s still going on today. So there’s my self-conscious way of saying, “I liked ratty cars before ratty cars were cool.” And I still dig ’em. It’s like loving a band before they went mainstream, then feeling guilty for listening after that same band is past their Top 40 years and has become passé.