Bye bye Talon and cameraderie

I'm sure I misspelled that word but I'm too tired to really care. I've had an Eagle Talon (a '91 and a '96) since I have been legally able to drive. I also helped to Carolina DSM which is a group for car enthusiasts into Mitsubishi Eclipses/Eagle Talons. The past four years while I've been at school I have stayed in touch with some of the guys online and through our message board, but I haven't been as active as I used to be. But due to a minor car accident I had this past week, I had to install some stuff on my car and needed some help with some of the stuff (basically I bought eBay stuff to save some money and make a little profit off of my insurance check, but like all things cheap, they don't work without 'minor modifications). In this case, minor modifications turned into metal cutting, hacking a bumper, and pipe welding. So, friends who I haven't seen in a few years came over, spent a few hours at my house, brought welding equipment, and helped me out all in exchange for a few beers. It's nice to have that kind of loyalty... it's pretty hard to find, but very satisfying when you do find it. Not only that, but two guys I had never met before came over and they offered to lend a hand. One was so nice that he offered to take some stuff into work for me and use tools there to cut some of the stuff (I guess he works in an industrial place and was gonna use a plasma cutter to some steel that I was just gonna throw out). I don't know if even I'd be that nice and generous in that situation, but I hope I can repay the favor at some point. So, I'm gonna miss having my car and miss having a real reason to be in the "club," but I don't think it's anything I will ever really leave. Hell, my friend Wes has owned 4 DSMs in the time that I've known him, now drives a Benz, and still comes out to the meetings. No matter who you are, or how long you've been gone, you're never really an outsider with this group.