For as long as I remember, things that came out of the family shop endured. They may not have been sleek. At times they could appear to be bulky. Whatever you might think, you knew they would last. I do recall one exception.
Everyone was excited about the upcoming vacation. Lots of people were going. Three cars in convoy, each loaded to the max. Four were committed to riding in the Fiat. Another four were in a car that my memory wipes clean. In our station wagon, we had seven. Given how jammed everything was going to be, Dad had spent a month building a trailer to carry everyone’s luggage. It was, as expected, large, sturdy. The truck axle had fully functioning brakes, the square steel tubing given one the impression of being here for good.
At we loaded up in the evening, other than the lateness of the hour, it looked like we were good to go. As the tarp covering the suitcases was tied down, everyone noticed that the trailer was sitting low and flat. A quick inspection reveled it was too low, too flat. The springs were overloaded. With the load the tires were squeezed up into the fenders. Nothing was going to move!
Hours later, the trailer was back on the scene. The beautiful paint now street savvy, the old sleekness replaced by heavy (2.5 ton) truck springs, with the welding and grind marks clearly visible through the primer. This was an India load to the max trailer ready for whatever wanted to take it on.
In the years since, the trailer that lasted for many years has been a reference point. There were times when people would doubt. My advice was always to look at examine.
“Don’t take my word. Check it out! Look, examine. Best of all, load and hook it up. Take something somewhere.”
I know an old reminder in trailer terms; “God’s Word is solid to the core; everything he makes is sound inside and out.” (Psalm 33.4) It was a great ride that summer, filled with memories.
