Which Is Which

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Assalamualaikum and salam 1 Malaysia

Now What's The Difference


Aziz, my young army officer brother-in-law, bought a second-hand Volkswagen from Muhammad, a friend of mine, in 1975. Zol, another brother-in-law of mine, a young banker, handled the management of monthly repayments to Yassin bin Ahmad (my father-in-law who advanced a sum of $2,500 then as the cost for that car) vide Aziz's 10 PDCs of $250 each. The Volkswagen registered in Penang bore the registration number PJ 7916. That was to be Aziz's first car. As Aziz was then stationed in Sabah, the car was left under Zol's charged. The car could be categorised as still being in good condition. The engine was running fine. The interior was intact. Body paintwork was presentable. The price was reasonable. Everything was close to perfect.

The 'Beetle' as it was affectionately called was then the choice of many drivers in this country. It was of course the first choice car in Germany where it originated from. Volks is 'folks' and wagen is 'car'. That was what I was told by some German speaking friends. So Volkswagen in the English equivalent means 'folks car'. Quite simply it gave the meaning of being "the car for the people".

Now, I am not going to harp on the subject of Aziz buying a car of worth or of Zol efficiently ensuring that the repayments were in order. Nor do I wish to state that the car was close to being maintenance free. (I am however not disputing that part of the fact!) A Volkswagen of that model which Aziz bought needed no water to cool the engine. It just needed to be air-cooled. So no fussiness in ensuring there should be enough water 'circulating' in the radiator and what not every time you want to make the car run!

*[Click photo for larger image]

Zol with nephew Halmy and of course Aziz's old faithful 'Volks'

What I really want to highlight here is about the engine block being at the back or 'boot' of the vehicle ... contrary to the norm of a car 'bonnet' being the compartment where the engine should be. And, the luggage will then have to be kept in the compartment at the front of the vehicle. That's the 'bonnet' isn't it? So how does one term it now? The engine is in the 'boot'? The luggage is in the 'bonnet'?

If that is the case, then that cool friend of mine in the earlier episode of "Heads & Tails" under the heading "What's The Difference Again" has just proven that he was right hasn't he?

Well you win some, you lose some!

And, dear brother-in-law Aziz ... ... ... you shouldn't have bought that Volkswagen in the first place. That is the root of the problem ... which is which. 'Boot' or 'Bonnet'.










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