Darth/Dave Apology

[fganger]

This an open letter to the members of the Café site.

It has come to my attention that some members of our site think I’m angry/mad/whatever with Dave (Darth); nothing could be further from the truth.

Others have noted that there are times one tries to be humorous when writing via Internet, however, what comes out is something completely different. In this case I tried to be funny and came across as being angry and vindictive. For this I am truly sorry.

Even though I’ve not met Dave I feel like I know him like a brother. He is one of the last people on this earth I would try and get at, especially using our wonderful Café site.

Again, Dave, I’m ever so sorry this has happened.
Frank

[Wild Will]

I never felt that Stinkin'. Your words didn't come across like that to me, but I'm not an 'insider', just an addicted back road rider who enjoys most of what he sees here.

Frank is one of the most astute gents I've ever met. He doesn't have a nasty bone in his beat up body, but he's lived lifetimes. Spending time with he and Bonnie at the races in Daytona last year and this were highlights. He's so concerned with others' feelings that he tried on Dean's Race Socks!

BTW, how are ya feeling now that you've had a few weeks of healing, Stinkin'?

[DarthRider]

I think an open apology deserves an open reply.
I'm taking the liberty of excerpting from a PM I just sent Frank on this.

The particulars that led to a misunderstanding do not matter. What we do next is all that really matters.

From my PM:

Frank -
Thank you so very much.

Frank, I was very truthful when I said you are at the "head of my list". I admire and respect everything about you and consider you a dear friend, one of a number that are my great good fortune to have made here on the Cafe'.

I suppose due to my "smart-ass" style sense of humor and "class clown" type personality, it's often difficult for me to make close friends. It's always been that way. But, at the same time, the close friends I do make tend to last a lifetime. Again, several here fit that category...and the list is growing ! Am I a lucky SOB, or what ?

And like Dean, I look forward to the book, movie and TV series based on your fascinating life !

I also empathise a lot, and sympathise a little with your mis-understood humor. It happens to me a lot...like the American Bandstand deal. Meant to be funny, fell flat as a pancake. It is tough to be always correctly understood on the Internet, even on the Cafe' populated with friendly, supportive "brothers" & "sisters". It just happens.

You'd think by now we'd all know each other well enough not to have these misunderstandings, misinterpretations, etc. And it's sometimes easy to overlook "intent", and that is usually what matters most.

But you know, as long as we keep talking about it when necessary, in private and/or public as appropriate, I think we are in very good shape.

Your friend,

[Dirty Doug]

Log me in with Will. Not once did I ever think Frank was being anything but funny. He is indeed a gentleman without a vengeful bone in his body. Also I feel Dave is as close to me as family yet we've never met. These are two wonderful people that I'm sure will always be long and lasting friends.

I to poke fun at people all the time here on the site and I know that sometimes the humor doesn't come out like the spoken word. Can't remember who once said this " You are the master of the unspoken word. Once out you become the slave" but I don't think it applies here. It wasn't that long ago we had a meltdown here with a few members that turned really ugly. I thought all that would have been behind us with the closeness we all have come to enjoy. When we all show up at the Cafe' B&B for the grand opening we'll laugh at this and spend quality time trying to out lie one another. :pftroest::pftroest:

Now, as for that Dean guy well that's a story for another time.......

K-Rider
Doug

[Deans BMW]

Hell, I read every word of this site several times a day, don't know what you guys are talking about.

As one who has had the pleasure of meeting Frank and Bonnie as has Will, a big plus 1 on WW's post.

[fganger]

To Dave and the other members who have so thoughtfully added to the thread,

I can’t tell you all how much I appreciate your, and especially Dave’s, response. When Dave first e-mailed me I never got past the first couple of sentences. My Bonnie thought my yelling, “No!” that something serious was wrong, and she would have been correct.

I still can’t bring myself to read the rest of his message; it just brings pain to me. There have been many times; too many, that I’ve had to hurt people on purpose. To hurt a friend is just too much to bear.

My goal is to try and look over my posts a bit closer in the future to try and lessen the chances of this occurring again.

Thank you all,
Stinkin’ Frank

[Wild Will]

Way I figure it, if you're going to piss off a mad dog, at least get to know him first. Me? Once we're pals, you can poke any amount of fun and orneryness at me you care to, like Dean and I do when we're on the road, or maybe just during our almost daily phone conversations. Laughter is highly regarded here.

The "one incident" I remember well was when I first showed up here, green to the 'net and this body of riders whom Dave turned me onto. Dangerous Dave, that is. The Peckerwood who can turn a right phrase and who's one of my best friends now. The guy's heart makes Fort Knox look like a s_it hole. Anyway, if the party who imediately started poking at me had taken the time to make friends first, I'd have taken his words with a grain of salt. As it stands, he's a lot like snow on the water to me now. It would have been so easy to make friends, alas.

There are a core of folks here who are highly regarded by me, and you all know who you are by now. I only hope we can meet up before we go for that Final (bike) Service in the sky. The one where they don't change your oil.

Racing with Dean and meeting the guys from South Carolina, Doug, Gordon and Geechie (and their families) was a really big deal to me. Their hospitality and camaraderie were world class. We'll be back. Frank and Bonnie are the cream at the top, and now feel like family. I've met a few more good guys at the races, too.

Dean, you wiry, wily Gabby Hayes character with the impeccable fashion sense and the boilerplate stomach, we're like twins on and off the bike, except I got all the looks and charm. We're both a couple of wrinkled tool whores. You got to be part of BMW racing history, as evidenced when we're at any event and the SPEED cameras seek you out for info, which you fearlessly give forth unless you can't remember why we're there; that's where I come in.

OK, great group of moto fiends from all over the globe. I hope you all look me up on the western edge of the continent if you ever travel out here. I'll show you a few interesting things. Don't worry, my driveway is real nice.
Life is like an hourglass, except you can't see the sands remaining in the top sphere; only the bottom. Let's ruin some tires, amogos!

[DarthRider]

"...amogos...?"

[fganger]

The "amogos" are a small tribe of native Americans who are best known for their keen interest in racing – both auto and motorcycle. The are normally found wherever speed is king.* :flamin_dj:

Stinkin' Frank






















* Or so I'm told. :pftroest:
PS - I liked the Dicky Stop American Bandstand post, I thought it was pretty cool.

[Dirty Doug]

Frank,
Don't know about " Dicky Stop and the Gos" I kinda' like "Stinkin' Frank and the Smelltones" Now there's a record I would have bought.

K-Rider
Doug

[DarthRider]

Frank,
Don't know about " Dicky Stop and the Gos" I kinda' like "Stinkin' Frank and the Smelltones" Now there's a record I would have bought.

K-Rider
Doug

But could you dance to it ?

[supermotoC]

I think Bob will chime in with me when I say to Frank & Darth - GET A ROOM, Already!


:ymca::pftroest:

[DarthRider]

You & Bob are just jealous ! :058:

[Gord]

Well having been away from the site for a number of weeks, what is the first thing I come across? This thread! The whole idea that Stinkin' Frank could piss someone off, and let alone that the sensitivities he offended would be Dave and Dean has me totally agog! I mean Frank is one of the nicest people I have never met and Dave and Dean always struck me as having reasonably thick skin and the maturity to deal with anything and everything!

If on the other hand there is going to be a steel cage match, let me know. I figure that with Frank's life story, could take both Dave and Dean together! I'd pay money to watch that!

[DarthRider]

If on the other hand there is going to be a steel cage match, let me know. I figure that with Frank's life story, could take both Dave and Dean together! I'd pay money to watch that!

I'd pay money to avoid getting in that steel cage...never did enjoy an ass-whoopin' all that much.
Seriously Gord, no one is or was pissed off & no harsh words of any kind were exchanged. All we had here was a brief, minor, "failure to communicate".
I hope - and trust - that's all well behind us here at the Cafe' ! :020:

[fganger]

Gord,

I feel the need to back up what Dave wrote. This kind of stuff, if gone on, is what destroys sites like our Cafe. Better to get a misunderstanding taken care of before it goes to far. I suppose all of us still remember the goings on from . . . well a previous board, and don't want that to happen here.

However, it is just the type of support that members, like yourself have displayed that makes this board what it is. :pftroest:

Stinkin' Frank



BONNIE! No, no Bonnie, he was only kidding about "getting a room." You know I don't "go" that way.

Whew! That was close. :icon_redface:

[Deans BMW]

I'm so thick that I never figured out what the misunderstanding was????????????????????

[Arby]

Dean, I think it had to do with the definition of "Tart", but who knows(or cares).

Hey, if Frank got his band going again, they could be "Dicky Stop & the Final Drives', or maybe "Frankie & the Ceramics".:020:.

OK OK, I'm done.:dance:

RB

[fganger]

"Dicky Stop & the Final Drives"

Would that be for a BMW Biker Band?

[vintagemxr]

One of the reasons I keep hanging around is that no one seems *ready* to get angry the way people are on some sites. I'm sure all of us write something dumb here now and again but we've all been around long enough to know that darned little is worth fighting about when it's just words and not an overt personal attack. I told my son (age 20) recently: "The secret of being an adult is to stay a kid but know when to act like an adult."

I believe that gang here has mastered that to a high degree.

As for Dave being a tart, I'd have to see him lipstick and a miniskirt to know for sure.

:eek:

Doug

[jamming]

I'm so thick that I never figured out what the misunderstanding was????????????????????

Me neither Dean.

Glad you guys kissed and made up.

I know I'm not the only one that thinks we have stumbled into something really special here.

It's cool here.

[fganger]

"As for Dave being a tart, I'd have to see him lipstick and a miniskirt to know for sure."

Well I have, and its not pretty. :pot:


Stinkin' Frank

[DarthRider]

"..."Dicky Stop & the Final Drives"..."

"Stop"? "Final Drives"? :floet: