| As teenagers growing up in the early sixties, | | | | else did. One of the cars was an old Datsun |
| my wife and I saw Hyannis and Hyannisport as | | | | 240Z. I was hooked. My 240Z had been yellow. |
| mythical kingdoms populated by the rich, the | | | | I wandered around. I could see the garage |
| famous, and the powerful. Except for the | | | | where I figured the cars were kept, but |
| mythical part this is probably still true.Peg | | | | didn't want to slide the two by four security |
| and I traveled to Hyannis with friend and | | | | system out of the way. Even though I could |
| guide, Al Burrage. Our first stop was the | | | | see the padlock was hanging open I was afraid |
| John F. Kennedy Memorial. The memorial | | | | of setting off alarms.I walked into the inn. |
| features a 12-foot-high fieldstone wall with | | | | No one was there. I walked into another |
| a relief of JFK facing the sea. There is a | | | | building. No one was there, but I did find a |
| presidential seal, fountain, and a small pool | | | | bar and hundreds of bottles of Scotch. I kept |
| to honor the late president, who grew up | | | | on walking and snooping. All exterior doors |
| nearby. Tour busses constantly drove in the | | | | where marked with one of two signs: "Don't |
| parking lot for people to visit the shrine. | | | | let the cats in!" or "Don't let the cats |
| It is lovely with a great view of the beach | | | | out!" Carefully, I complied. Everywhere I |
| and water.Flowers form a border around the | | | | went I called out, "Hello." No one |
| circular monument. Al had brought us there | | | | answered.Eventually I heard a car drive up. I |
| because he thought we might have an interest. | | | | walked toward the driveway and saw a red |
| He didn't. I had to coax staunch republican | | | | sports car. I knew I was about to make |
| Al to step into the memorial. We were all | | | | contact. I walked into the inn and found Bill |
| surprised when he did not turn to stone. | | | | Putman. "I hope you haven't been waiting |
| Perhaps, it was just the wind, but I thought | | | | long," he said. I replied, "No, but we did |
| I heard a low, democratic moan.Next to the | | | | drink three bottles of Scotch." He laughed |
| JFK Memorial is Veterans Memorial Park. As | | | | and then took us out to the garage where he |
| always, celebrities grab the headlines, but | | | | slid the two by four out of the way, opened |
| real people make the big differences in the | | | | the door, and turned on the lights. I was |
| world. There is a Korean War Memorial located | | | | delighted, so to speak. Really, I was |
| at the Veterans Memorial Park. It was | | | | spellbound. Inside the garage were almost |
| dedicated June 25, 2000, the 50th anniversary | | | | five dozen red sports cars . . . and one |
| of the start of the war. The grounds, the | | | | green one.I recognized the garage for what it |
| statue, and the brick (inscribed with the | | | | was . . . a growing obsession. It was just |
| names of Korean veterans) lined walkway stir | | | | the way the LeMay Museum began. Harold LeMay |
| the emotions of the heart."The memorial | | | | began collecting cars and then needed more |
| consists of an eight-foot bronze-cast statue | | | | and more space to house them. Bill Putman had |
| of a typical combat soldier, placed on a | | | | a few sports cars (he raced two of them) and |
| granite base, overlooking Hyannis Harbor. The | | | | then he began finding more and more that he |
| statue was sculpted by the world renown | | | | wanted. The garage was expanded and expanded. |
| sculptor, Robert Shure whose work includes | | | | The ceiling is maybe seven feet high and |
| the Irish Famine, located in Boston, as well | | | | there are rooms with as few as two cars. The |
| as the MIA/KIA Eternal Flame monument located | | | | dirt floor is covered with white gravel. On |
| in the National Cemetery in Bourne."Really | | | | top of the gravel in the walkways between the |
| touching was a simple message from the people | | | | cars are oriental carpets. I went crazy |
| of Korea etched in granite and a stone. You | | | | identifying the cars. "Here's an XK120," I |
| can't read the inscription without letting | | | | shouted, "I had an XK140."In the collection |
| your fingers travel the once rough surface of | | | | there were three models that I had owned. In |
| the stone and think of the sacrifices that | | | | addition to the Datsun 240Z and the Jaguar |
| were made by Americans and United Nations | | | | XK140, I also found a Bug-Eye Austin Healey |
| forces half a world away and half a century | | | | Sprite. This was the car I had when I wooed |
| ago.Next, we visited the Kennedy Compound, | | | | Peg. We drove away from the church in my |
| where most of the Kennedys and other family | | | | little Sprite. We took our week-old daughter |
| members still have residences. You can see | | | | Andrea to a drive-in movie in that little |
| the pier built for JFK by our government from | | | | car. I loved it and should have kept it. This |
| a nearby park, but you have to have a | | | | is the same story that Bill hears from almost |
| resident sticker on your car to use the park. | | | | every visitor to Toad Hall.I had to ask Bill |
| The only way to see into the compound is if | | | | about the Scotch, "Most of the bottles look |
| someone has their gates open, which some did. | | | | unopened. Why don't you drink them?" He even |
| The houses inside the compound didn't appear | | | | has a website just for his Scotch collection. |
| any different from most of the other | | | | Bill replied, "I don't know." I think Bill |
| expensive, neighboring houses outside the | | | | just might be too busy. He collects sports |
| compound. How strange.Back in the commerical | | | | cars, cats, and Scotch in addition to running |
| district we stopped in at a small convenience | | | | his inn. I'm sure he was thinking of his |
| store, which was located next to the Cape Cod | | | | collection of Scotch when with a whistful |
| Railroad which features a dinner train. We | | | | look in his eye Bill said, "Sometimes I just |
| may have to try that out on our next visit. | | | | dream of getting snowed in."Toad Hall was a |
| At the convenience store we bought a local | | | | delight. So, why Toad Hall? Bill likes the |
| paper and picked up two coupon books | | | | story of Wind in the Willows and the central |
| featuring coupons for Cape Cod attractions. | | | | character, Toad, lives in Toad Hall. So, why |
| The sign at the store mentioned Brazilian | | | | the red cars? In the story, Toad was obsessed |
| food, which seemed a little odd. Connections | | | | by a motor car. He got one and it was red. |
| with Brazil kept popping up during our stay | | | | So, why the one green car. The previous owner |
| in Cape Cod. We saw a Brazilian flag flying | | | | had just sunk $15,000 into the car and Bill |
| at a Seafood Sam's restaurant outside Wood's | | | | didn't have the heart to have it painted. So, |
| Hole, and even ate at a Brazilian restaurant | | | | why Scotch and cats. Just because.Looking for |
| during a day trip to Quincy.A page in the | | | | memories of our youth we visited Hyannis for |
| coupon book we picked up at the convenience | | | | Kennedy historical connections. We ended our |
| store lead us to one of my favorite stops: | | | | visit to Hyannis with so much more. Isn't |
| Toad Hall. The coupon offered a dollar off at | | | | that what travel is all about?Don Doman is a |
| the Toad Hall Sports Car Museum. Since I love | | | | published author, video producer, and |
| cars and produced a fundraising video for the | | | | corporate trainer. He owns the business |
| LeMay Car Museum, I had to at least see what | | | | training site Ideas and Training ( which he |
| Toad Hall had to offer. I was expecting maybe | | | | says is the home of the no-hassle "free |
| a dozen sports cars. I was wrong.We parked | | | | preview" for business training videos. Don |
| our car at the Simmons Homestead Inn and | | | | and his wife Peg also travel in the Pacific |
| walked around. Five red cars including a | | | | Northwest writing of their fun and |
| Rolls Bentley welcomed us . . . but no one | | | | adventures. |