Letter from the Editor: Be Not Afraid of Greatness
June 1, 2008
Father’s day is fast approaching, which—aside from being the traditional season for stylish new neckties—annually heralds The Robb Report Collection’s special issue of "Great Machines." Speaking as both a father and the editor responsible for this compilation of mechanical devices—which runs the gamut from a commercial-grade coffee maker to a submersible sports car—I can safely say that even the dad who seemingly already has everything will find something that piques his interest within these pages.
But don’t take my word for it. In an age when coffee mugs and t-shirts boldly proclaim a father’s level of greatness—inevitably ranking him at #1—who or what can be considered truly great anymore? Perhaps Shakespeare said it best: "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em."
If my "#1 Dad" coffee mug were even remotely accurate, I would only hope to fall into the last category. As I am writing this letter, my year-and-a-half-old son Calvin is crying inconsolably, which makes it nearly impossible to concentrate on much else. The little guy is justifiably upset, if my paternal instincts serve me, because he recently had greatness snatched from his grasp, like so many remote controls, electrical cords, or—in this case—a Porsche key fob.
Although Calvin is still fourteen-and-a-half years away from obtaining his driver’s license, "Cool car!" were the first words out of his partially toothed mouth as he approached the bright green, carbon-fiber-bedecked 911 GT3 RS that crouched menacingly in our driveway. Granted, it sounded more like "coo cahhh," but I knew exactly what he meant. After taking immediate pride in this first observed use of an adjective/noun combo, I was also pleased to see that the kid obviously knows his stuff.
So I did not hesitate to let him sit in the driver’s seat and pose for a few photos. Even at his age, Calvin is no doubt beginning to wonder why "Dada" leaves home every weekday morning in some shiny new sports car, only to return each night in a different vehicle. Such is life for the senior automotive editor of Robb Report. One day it’s a bright green Porsche, the next it’s an equally ostentatious orange Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera (see "Weekend Warriors"). If he could draw from popular culture, Calvin would probably imagine that I am either a highly successful car thief, or a magician—some sort of cross between Nicolas Cage in Gone in 60 Seconds (in which he plays a car thief) and Nicolas Cage in Next (in which he plays a Las Vegas magician).
I suppose the important thing is that my son imagines me as the leading man in his life. In reality, I am more like Nicolas Cage in The Family Man, in which he trades a girlfriend and sports car for a wife, a family, and a minivan. Last week, for example, I traded an Audi R8 sports car for an Acura MDX sport-utility vehicle—complete with a rear-seat entertainment package that plays Thomas & Friends DVDs during the weekend errands.
But I digress. Returning to the topic of greatness: Be sure to read the events calendar located on the last page, which offers a few great destination ideas for the month ahead. Personally, I intend to spend Father’s Day at the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance with my son, who will likely point out some very cool cars. I may even sit him in the driver’s seat and let him hold the keys.
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