[Chrysler300] John Hertog

[Matt Allyn <allynentertainment@xxxxxxxxx>]

John Hertog...
 
I've been trying to think of something to say that all of you haven't already said which is hard; so I started to think of something that's always been quite memorable to me about John.
 
My wife Jennifer and I went to the 300 Club Meet in Phoenix back in 2002; we were in our 1962 New Yorker Wagon.  Upon pulling into the parking lot we were met by John; who we had conversed with often via e-mail and the phone.  He knew that we were to be there in the wagon and being that he loved wagons ran right over.  He had yet to buy the '62 NY Wagon that he once had.  He was happy to meet Jennie, as he always referred to her, as I think he reveled in the fact that she owned a '62 300 and built the 413 for the car.  Within minutes he was under our dash showing me the exact location of the Astradome Power Pack that I wanted to have rebuilt.
 
Time passed a bit and I found myself needing a vintage convertible for a day of shooting a Travel Channel show at Coney Island.  I decided booking a car through a picture car company was for amateurs and if I could get something other than a '57 Chevy, '59 Cadillac or '57 T-Bird all the better!  I called up John and asked if he had a car and a day to kill on a Saturday...in February!  John pulled up to Coney Island that morning in his red '61 G convertible.  I walked up and held out my hand to shake it when he opened up his arms to give me a hug.
 
There's the memory.  There's the thought.  We had physically met once in Arizona.  We had spoken on the phone and via e-mail.  At our second meeting he gives me a hug.  What other "car guy" is man enough to make that move with a semi-stranger?  I'd been hugging my pals for years; though didn't anticipate it from a 3,000 mile away resident.
 
What a guy John was; right?  He had forgotten more about all sorts of cars than I can ever hope to learn in my remaining years.  He made you feel like you were an important friend amongst his hundreds of friends.  He took the time to teach us about cars, parts, maintenance...friendship.  So go out and teach someone about cars!  Go and trade a part to one who might need it!  Help a neighbor with their oil change!  Go over and hug a friend or family member, like John would have done.
 
I agree at the thought of creating a "John Hertog Award" at the future 300 Club Meets.  That is a fantastic idea; that he would have loved!
 
Thank you for your time. 
Matt Allyn


      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


------------------------------------

To send a message to this group, send an email to:
Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm

For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    mailto:Chrysler300-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    mailto:Chrysler300-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    Chrysler300-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/