The Essence of a Carfreak

It was quite the unusual location for their business meeting, Paul's Bistro in the greater metropolitan area of Helsinki. However, the venue seemed to be an excellent choice: sophisticated and up to par to their taste. The head waitress approached them gracefully, as the two young gents Lauri and Antti took off their long overcoats. She did her very best to make them feel welcome at the Bistro, as she seated them in a center window table, a gesture which was appreciated and noted by both.

The Bistro continued with a show of its true worth, as a group of well dressed young women entered, and were graciously appointed a table further on the side, but still close enough for our two heroes to get to enjoy the whole view of the ladies' entourage. To the ladies' credit, they had already booked rooms for an overnight stay at the connected and newly opened Palace Hotel; and started with an order of champagne.

Whatever business the two men were to speak, was dealt with swift precision and a determination to follow through the case at hand as planned, only molded with some needed adjustments. Leaving them at large to speak of other endeavours and to sip the Caipirinhas which were brought in just in time by the waitress, and to be followed by a meal appropriate even for a true connoisseur.

Dignified, but yet cheerful, Lauri recited the latest expedition to Germany, on which he and several of their mutual acquintances had embarked. It had been the most peculiar sight, almost a dozen speciality cars, hand picked and very different from the local, traditional supply - blasting their way to the ferries, which eventually took them down to the heartlands of Europe. As the first evening on the voyage had turned to night, it had come down to a matter of tuning an E60 M5. Its stature was certainly too high, but yet the owner resisted the temptation of meddling with its technics, for the car was less than a month old. As the discussion progressed, it wasn't just one individual, but the whole present crew, that simply reached for their wallets; and shelled out whatever assets they had with them at that point. Thus, the BMW M5 had a new set of springs, waiting in Dinslaken - a matter of one phone call to Andy of Kelleners Motorsport, who did not seem to mind serving them even at the very turn of dawn. "Truly an act of Spirit", Antti threw in enthusiasticly, as this was a part of the philosophy they had been aspiring for.

Meanwhile, the waitress ushered herself to retrieve them a bottle of one of the reds of the latest fashion. It was business as usual for these two young masters.. - actually a custom of Antti, to call his peers "master"; such an old fashioned way, a habit that could be found both, slightly amusing but yet also enjoyable. Even though they had both shown true talent in their own craft, they were still just two self-proclaimed entrepreneurs and, perhaps, acquintances of high potential.

"It's a shame what they do to them", Lauri went on, as some teenagers drove past in an overly tuned Japanese vehicle, which was surprisingly of the latest possible model, definitely against the odds in Finland. The younglings inside what seemed like a bodykit gone awry, were most likely trying to figure out whether their eardrums can handle the car's entertainment system's endless, booming bass as it reverberated through the restaurant's windows. "I second that. The manufacturers are slowly getting a grip of it, though. Perhaps one day we will have true competitor from that sector too", Antti responded somewhat flamboyantly, knowing well enough that there already were some serious eastern contenders in existence.

A silhouette of a true sports car glides by the restaurant window, just before our heroes' table. They glance at eachother and nod with silent appreciation. Not needing to bother talking about its model, or the specifications, instead they continue on with a light chatter of how promising the recent CO2 emission changes in high power engines are, as both share a rather similar view on what must be done for the environment, even though the automotives' carbon dioxide emissions are perhaps at about 10% of the country's entire CO2-emissions.

A man, perhaps in his middle-ages, clad in a gentlemanlike attire disembarks from the low-standing car, moving swiftly, but not making it obvious, opens the passenger door, from which a lady steps out with her heels and a stockinged leg flashing shortly to some of the possible onlookers. The man shuts the door after her, just stopping short of showing affection to his vehicle, but still lost in a silent reverie for a split second, clearly enjoying all of the aspects present.

As a true gentleman to his character, the man greets the valet according to courtesy and bestows him with the valet keys, then proceeds to side with his lady companion as they enter the hotel's modern lobby. The silver streaks in his hair betray of wisdom that only years of keen research and observation can bring, as he seems at home ajusting to any environment through the means of perfect diplomacy.

There is no overly pride in the man's being, nothing bespeaks of the usual, vulgar signs of wealth, nor does he seem unaware of other people. It wasn't the fact that he was at the top of his world. It wasn't the fact that he was going to enjoy the pleasures of his wife with utmost certainty this evening, either.

It was the fact that his eyes shone with pureness and a passion seldom seen in a man. It was the fact that he was still able to throw himself wholly at life, and to get the very best out of it by being himself.

A knowing smile spreads on the corners of his lips for a brief moment, as the man sees the two characters of our story, perhaps hearing parts of their conversation. Then the couple steps into an elevator, retiring to more private quarters.

A flicker of recognition washes through the two men, Lauri and Antti.

There had been a Carfreak present.