190
I was in DC last week shooting Tom Carroll’s African art collection. I love walking in the neighborhoods around Tom’s house. / When my family was in Innsbruck in the mid 50s, we used to walk past a Mercedes dealership where there was a black 190 just like this one. My dad used to joke about buying it and bringing it back to the States, but even at that time these cars were way beyond our means. When I was photographing, the owner and his wife came out of their house and we had a nice chat. This one is a 1957 model, and it is in really nice shape.
Tom
One thing I really like about living near a small town is getting to know the people that you see on a regular basis. Ren’s Mobil is in the center of Amherst and Tom has been pumping gas there for a long time. When I first met him he was a student at UMASS; now in addition to working at Ren’s, he plays bass in the band Outer Stylie (Psychedelic/Rock/Soul). It is always great to see him, talk about music, and get some gas. He is consistently cheerful and totally cool.
Presidential
I have always been interested in how large American companies market some of their crappiest products. GM was notorious for this. Here we see a fine example. I parked next to this Buick Park Avenue on Friday, and the Presidential Seal jumped right out at me. I am a bit baffled by the snaps on the metal trim underneath the seal. They look like something off a boat.
Windshield Wonder
Ever since I saw the Windshield Wonder advertised I knew I wanted one. Today being Father’s Day, I had hopes that Cris and Peter would oblige. I guess they could read my mind. The coolest thing is that it really works and it is well made! I am totally diggin’ it, although I have been cautioned not to use it while driving. (Hey Tom, I still have the swim tag hanging from my rearview.)
Lotto
I like looking into the windows of parked cars. You can see some pretty interesting sights. I was on my way into the Stop n Shop and noticed this guy’s affinity for the lottery. Serious business goin’ on here.
Jon Crispin's Notebook 
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