November 5, 2013. Harper, Texas. Tasche Engineering.

The room looks like it has not changed since 1923.   There are shelves of books telling the names and numbers of automobile parts.   The shelves are ten feet long and there are two of them.  Also on the shelves are telephone books.  The latest one I found was 2003.  I feel sure that no one has opened those books for twenty years.   The room is 20 by 30.   The place is full of stuff from top to bottom.

This Tasche engineering is the place in Harper where we have the truck serviced and inspected.   The owner bought the business from Mr. Tasche and the new owner kept the name and everything in the shop.  And I mean everything.  Right against the wall is a lovely old oak display cabinet, which is full of stuff.  No one ever opens the cabinet because the cabinet is right against the wall and the door to the cabinet can not be opened unless you move the whole thing.  You could not move the cabinet because four chairs and a table sit right in front of it, all of which came with the shop twenty years ago.

This is not a modern work shop but we like it.  The owner is well spoken and dignified and is a good mechanic.   His mother arrives at lunch for him and the workers, bringing the food from the Longhorn Cafe.   Today, there were three trash cans full of boxes from the cafe.   Today, when waiting for the truck to ready, I sat in wonder at all the objects in this room, knowing full well that they have not been touched for years.   It is not like me to just sit and do nothing but I convinced myself that the owner would not be pleased if I started to organize the place, so I just sat and marveled that in 2013, there is still a place of business that looks as if it was 1923.   Only in Harper, Texas.