When the Homily is about Immunology

Rustic Luxuries

Everyday I ride the ferry and see a massive quantity of motorcycles (in times of nice weather at least). Amidst these, I see a significant number of Harley Davidson bikes. Now, when I grew up, Harley's were the motorcycles of greasy, grungy, Vietnam veterans, sporting Athonite beards and leather goods that looked like they skinned the animal themselves. You know, the mechanized cowboy type.

Based on what I see everyday, I'd say nowadays Harley Davidson gets a significant amount of their sales from rich "lawyers and doctors and such." Nothing cooler than a dress shirt, tie, Khakis and signature Harley Davidson brand chaps. These guys are the real deal dude...rugged, hardcore, a man's man, individualistic...ummm...liberal leaning, art dealing, pacifist, lawyer, doctor, BMW/Mercedes/Lexus driving on cold days, never changing their own oil, and polishing their chrome during the ferry down time with a new Harley Davidson brand toothchromebrush and a $75.00 tube of Harley Davidson brand chrome cream, on their way to their average $600,000 Bainbridge Island McMansion kinda man.

Log Cabins used to be the staple and everyday home of choice for rural people...not all that long ago. Now, "Log Homes" are a luxury few can afford. Like Harley's, they have become a rich man's fad and the prices have followed them. Who can afford Harley's anymore anyway? To go along with the Log Homes, one can find a host of "rustic" decor to really lend your Mansion a down home, mountain cabin-like feel to it. Looking completely authentic, as if your grandfather had bequeathed the lamp, coffee-table, or wall hanging to you, no one will ever suspect you paid thousands to the rich man's Walmart.

No, that wagon wheel table was not refinished by your hand from the remains you found behind your barn. Rather it was manufactured in China, shipped to the US for final assembly and finishing and sold to you for a mere $1,500! All to LOOK like you found it behind your barn. Since moving to a rural environment, we have received countless sales magazines with items just like this. A desperate attempt for rich folk to create a rustic environment, how ironic.