Day's Diary

March 5 , 2007 ~ The Land Rover Is Dead

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It is official. Silas’ Land Rover is dead. This is a difficult death for Silas, almost like a relative or at least a close friend’s death. This may seem hard for most of us to understand since the Land Rover is just a motor vehicle, a mode of transportation. But for Silas, it is much more. He and Dan Merry spent great time teasing one another about their respective vehicles when Dan lived here. Dan would proclaim the virtues of the Toyota Hard Body and Silas the merits of the Land Rover and then they would laugh at the other. But the death of the Land Rover is no laughing matter for Silas.

I was having a bit of a difficulty appreciating this. I know that part of the problem is that I am a female and therefore unable to bond with a motor vehicle as many men do. I like my Isuzu, but it is just a truck, from my female perspective. But there is more to it than that. I learned that today. Silas and I were meeting in my living room about a class we are teaching together when two men came into the yard. One was the houseboy from the CCAP cottage, Peter. The other was a white man I didn’t recognize. They had come to see Silas about a cottage matter. The fellow was Ron Free, an American missionary from Mozambique who had come to the cottage for a holiday with his wife and son. He told us how happy they were with the accommodations at the cottage. They were thrilled to have hot and cold running water, (I could relate to that), and the luxury of a refrigerator, (understandable) and the ease of transportation on the good Malawian roads. At that I laughed. Even the road to Blantyre, which is tarmac, is filled with pot holes because of the rains. The dirt roads are rutted and washed out, especially the road to the cottage. I know. I drove it on Saturday. But Ron was quick to explain the condition of the roads in Mozambique, most of which are dirt, but many of which were destroyed or disrupted during the war in Mozambique and have yet to be repaired, at least in the more remote areas, such as where he is working. He was quick to say that he has a Land Rover, and of course he is able to get around when others are not. He said this in a matter of fact way, as if the pride with which he said it was self-explanatory and certainly justifiable. Silas gave me a look like “See!”

I think I am beginning to understand, a bit. The Land Rover was designed with bush driving in mind. It is built higher off the ground, for better rut, rock and obstacle clearance. I have to admit that it has a much higher ground clearance than the Isuzu. It has a truck-like frame and suspension system, making it sturdy in rough terrain, and yet it is not a truck with a separate bed. Rather it has one internal cabin area, front and second seats and side seating in the back. This allows for more passengers and greater comfort for those passengers, but it also allows for hauling “katundu” (stuff). It is a practical vehicle, but it is more than that. It really is a status symbol here in Africa. The most prominent of the NGO’s (Non-Government Organizations – charity groups) sport Land Rovers. They proudly display their names and logos on the sides of the vehicle. It is almost as if they are saying that they know the situation and they are prepared for it. All the official police force vehicles are Land Rovers. They are expensive, so there is that element to it, as well. But Silas would be quick to say they are worth the investment because of their durability and dependability.

This last point has been called into question recently as Silas’ Land Rover broke down more often than it worked. Margaret says it is their vehicle when it works and Silas’ when it doesn’t. It has been Silas’ for two months now. This last time it broke down, it took three weeks to get the parts to repair it and even then, it wasn’t working properly. The starter was still a problem so it had to be parked going down hill so it could be caught in gear to start. Once running, it billowed puffs of black smoke. Finally, reluctantly, Silas had his mechanic drive it back to its former owner in Lilongwe, per their agreement. He had agreed that when he sold it, he would sell it back to the fellow, who would use it for parts for other limping Land Rovers. There is a whole fraternity of Land Rover owners who stick together. The fellow in Lilongwe is on the lookout for a “good” replacement for Silas. He assures him it will just be a matter of time until a suitable one is available. Silas is willing to ride minibuses or drive an Isuzu until that time. This is just a respectful grieving period, I think. Margaret just shakes her head.