His first meeting with Honest John, that hot August day in 1955, was quite by accident. Ralph was chugging west on Van Buren, the massive '49 Roadmaster sputtering, coughing, and heaving from side to side like an elephant with a bad hangover. The engine was getting worse. Now the car slowed to a crawl, started to rally, then weakened again. Ralph fought a long, losing battle to get up speed. An impatient motorist honked behind him and shouted something. The engine gave a final death rattle and conked out. Ralph aimed for the curb and the big Buick bumped it lightly as it lurched to a halt.
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