Recent Snow

It is the recent bad weather that bought to mind a story about a young guy. This was around 1973. He was a Young college student, very well spoken, a businessman's son. He used to visit me occasionally. One day he came to see me and told me that he had been turned down by this girl. Incidentally she was a stunner. He told me he could not understand it and asked her why. He then told me she just said to hm "Why does the sun shine", I told him to try to forget her. When he was 17 his father gave him a car, I only saw him on odd occasions after that. Well he went to University and the first Christmas he came home, for two reasons, first to get money from his father and to try again for the girl he wanted. He was successful in one out of two, namely getting money from his father.
Anyway he called to see me over the Christmas vacation, there was snow on the ground and parked his car, came to see me and have a coffee. Eventually leaving, getting into his car, a few minutes later he was back. I asked him what was wrong, he then told me his car would not move. I said to him I would go and see what was wrong. He got in the car, started it then put it in gear tried to move off and his wheels just slipped on the icy snow. I then tapped on the widow. he wound the window down, I then told him to put his car into 2nd gear, do not engage the clutch quickly and gradually put his foot on the accelerator. He did this and away he went. A couple of days later, when the snow had almost gone, he came in to thank me. I just told him that this was the norm. When we were his age, the lads who had cars would pass on any tips about driving, this way we learned many things. I told him also that every winter there should be some weighty things in the boot to help with traction. He took it all in and left. It must be remembered that all cars then were rear wheel driven, all cars were made of steel. any dent in the wing or anywhere else was hammered out and if a filler was required filled then repainted. Every garage had a panel beater or someone who was capable of repairing dents. Tyres were only cross ply and very thin. Anyway I never saw him again.
This is not the end of the story though, it would be, I guess 3 years or so later, two guys who used to hang around with him were in the Restaurant. I heard one of them mention his name. It was an unusual name. Anyway. on hearing his name mentioned, I listened to the conversation. It went something like this. "Did you hear about *****?" No, what about him?" Well, he's in prison for living off immoral earnings". It seems that he had about 3 prostitutes working for him. I was astounded, he was such a quiet unassuming young man. It just shows you, you never know about someone until you live with them, then you do not always know. More useless stuff soon.