High Beams on Don

When I first meet Don, and each time since, I couldn’t help but notice his bright smile and friendly nature. He has a great sense of humor and superior out look on life. I asked him some of my usual questions…
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His first car was a 1953 Pontiac 4 door, dark green over light green. He was able to buy it by selling a calf for $50.00. Can you image that now, a car in exchange for a calf. His dream car is a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible. Good choice, I’d have to say and I hope he gets it. {sorry Kathy}.
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What is your favorite…
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Color -“green looks best on me”, but on a car he prefers black-the super shinny variety
Food - Steak, Don insist its because he didn’t get much of it as kid {I think its really because of all the cow lots we pass on our cruises}
Movie- Tombstone, it’s a great story
Book- the number one best selling book of all time-world over, the Bible {first-rate choice}
Season- autumn, it offers some of the best temperatures and beautiful colors
Music - doowop, he loves the harmony
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As it turns out the recent Old Farts Sports Car Club cruise that led us to Washington on the Brazos and the Barrington Farm, is Don’s favorite place to drive, “because of the farm.” {ahh a county boy at heart}
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Don is a multi talented person he spent 30 years teaching mostly high school biology and some basketball coaching for both jr. high and high school. Teenagers y’all did ya hear me TEENAGERS! For that he deserves a gold medal. Talk about an under paid position with no glory. Teachers deserve a pat on the back, and if you think about it he may have taught the next president of the United States or the next Bill Gates.
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Don has owned his own business for 25 years, Sandyland Auto. He started out by hand painting his first vehicle in 1965. It was a 1953 Ford convertible his own, he believes he paid $135 for it. He says it didn’t turn out very well and it took a lot of work. Yes my friends he used a high tech painting system it was-spray cans “ugh.” After that first paint job he was hooked and began working at a real body shop. He was mostly self taught with a little help from friends a long the way. He does body repair work and some restoration. Always a car enthusiast he was able to successfully combine the artist side of his character with the cars that he loves.
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I don’t know about you, but I would have thought Don would be a car naming type of person. But instead he usually doesn’t, it helps keep him from being too attached to any one vehicle. I was not surprised when I learned that Don is a day person in fact he says he loves the sunlight. He likes getting up early because of the energy level he has at that time. I agree, but I need a cup of coffee before I feel the energy.
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When asked how he would describe himself he bravely replied, “kind, gentle, caring, law-abiding, upstanding” followed by the comment, that is how he would like to be. And he really considers himself “just a regular guy.” Regular or not, I have found him to be just the type of person he aspires to be. You are doing a first-rate job Don, we should all aim to be better then we are.
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Now its not like this blog has a boat load of people reading it, but it could and when I told Don that this was a chance to give any advice, recommendation or warnings he wanted to this is what he offered up for y’all…
“Don’t go through life with out meeting Jesus; laugh every chance your get; obey the laws.” He not only had a response for one but one for all three.
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Things have been so busy-crazy for me lately Don was gracious and let me do this interview by e-mail. At the bottom of his e-mail reply to me he offered up a sad observation
TOO MANY CHRISTIANS ARE NO LONGER FISHERS OF MEN, BUT KEEPERS OF THE AQUARIUM. If you have not had a chance, I recommend that you talk to Don sometime. He is really a nice regular kind of guy and very well worth spending a little time with.
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Thanks again Don it has been my pleasure.
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See y’all