17591 cartoon of the week - Roy Delgado

This cartoon reminds me of a true story, so help me God.

Seriously, back about in 1966, I was living in Falls Church, Virginia and I was working in Rockville, Maryland for Patrick Signs as an electrical sign designer and sketch artist.  My friend and co-worker, a top notch sign painter named Lloyd Roberts lived in nearby McLean, Virginia and we took turns commuting to work by the week.

I believe I was driving a late model Chevy station wagon and my friend Lloyd was driving his second car, which happened to be a 1959 light blue Mercury sedan.  I remember that model had the electric rear window that went up and down and was a conversation piece.

Once we descended onto the beltway off route 7 and on to U.S. 495 and headed north to Maryland, the traffic would usually pick up and stay at a steady 55-65 MPH . . . except, except for Lloyd . . . Lloyd for some reason was one of those guys who HAD to lead the pack of drivers on the beltway . . .sometimes expanding to six lanes . . .  it felt like you were in a Daytona Nascar Championship race !  We HAD to, HAD to be first . . . the speed would pick up and then usually average about 90-92 MPH . . . Lloyd refused to let anyone pass him . . . everytime an automobile gained on us trying to pass us, he would bump it up a little faster . . just enough to let him know that WE OWNED THIS HIGHWAY, and there is no way that he is going to get ahead of us . . . as Lloyd gunned it, the only thing he would say in the middle of this circus at 92 miles per hour is something like, " Look at that crazy bastard trying to pass me ! "

Lloyd passed away in 2006.  He lived in Reston, Virginia.  I miss Lloyd.  Later after his stint as a journeyman sign painter he became an electrical building inspector for the state of Virginia.