Reporter's Notebook: Out Of The Cold For A Warm Feeling

It was the last weekend of January – Saturday to be precise.

OK, it was just yesterday, but can I add a little dramatic license to this article?

In a place like Minnesota, no one said you cannot have any sort of car-related function. Especially when the air temperature is only a single digit – over zero. 

Doing it outdoors is out of the question. So, you bring it indoors. 

That’s what John Wayne Pha came up with. An indoor “garage sale” inside his shop, J.W.P. Automotive in Saint Paul. 

With an open invitation we came together. Mainly smaller shops and clubs. The Drive Cartel crew came up with the entertainment, while various wares were available – both new and repurposed. Some had inventory going back years. 

I came to sell some of our inventory – stickers and caps. I perched myself with my friends at MNNI – Minnesota Nissan Infiniti. I didn’t sell a lot, but I wasn’t disappointed. 

Quite the opposite. It was the first time in 2023 that I’ve seen a vast majority of my fellow car enthusiasts. For some, it was months…if not years. 

It was a round of fist bumps, handshakes, and hugs. Then, it was catch up time. People got married or were going to. People had children or were going to. People went through some serious challenges between health, work, and life. 

It was seeing how businesses have been for companies I’ve known. One has gotten successful to be involved in a merger. Another had been successful that he hired employees to match the demand on work. Everyone seemed to be on the upward trajectory. 

And, Pha was a great host! The absolute best! You got to give it up the big homie for bringing us together we when we really need it. 

Even Adam and Pa flew into town from Phoenix for this! Talk about dedication, even if they landed at 3:00 AM that morning!

There is a point to all of this. Sometimes, it’s not the cars that keep us connected. It’s the people. It’s the friendships. Those friendships are what keeps me engaged for the past decade or so. 

And, how we’ve grown through the years! We continue to do so.

This is what balances me from the stresses of work and everything that goes along with it. 

Be appreciative of the people around you. The connections you made are ones that should be for life. You also have room for new connections, too!

My thanks to Pha for bringing us out of the cold and into your shop. There was magic that occurred on that Saturday. Your timing was right, too! The result is a renewed sense if humanity among all of us.

Onward to a new car season in Minnesota!

All photos by Randy Stern