History

Immediately upon moving to Oregon almost 6 years ago, I began noticing the "This Is Totally Not Nebraska" regulations of the state, city or other municipalities. Voting by mail, no sales tax, bike lanes on major rural roadways, mix-and-match-your-own-six-packs, etc. One of my favorite TITNN moments is when I found out how cheap it was to license my car ($68 for 2/yr.) and obtain a drivers license, valid for 8 years. So imagine my excitement upon the sale of that vehicle a few years later when I found out you leave the number plates on the car and don't have to throw the old away. Hmm? Common sense behavior I wasn't accustomed to from a bureaucracy. GO Oregon.
I am a bit of a nostalgic romantic and enjoy the small things that connect us all. So ever since the sale day of that Forest Green 1995 Ford Explorer, I have been on the lookout for that same number plate, YTJ 925. Believe me not an easy task. One of the reasons I purchased that vehicle was due to its popularity during the mid 1990's and it's strong resale value. It was the number one selling car that year, I had heard somewhere.
But this last weekend I saw it. Just as I had imagined our reunion. Dirty from the rural community it now resides in, driven slowly by the same old man that had bought it from me 4 years ago and still with that YTJ 925 number plate. When I came up behind it on our way through the town of Madras I shouted and pointed like a six year old. I was able to pull along side and further verify the Nebraska dealers tag on the rear door, get a closer look at the old man and give him a waive. Funny how sometimes the most fleeting of moments can bring so much satisfaction to pieces of our history. I don't ever expect to see that old man or my truck ever again, but I can rest assured for awhile, that they're still out there, rolling Ford tough.