Urban Artifact: Evergreen Place

Yours truly has seen a number of objects inserted into this crevasse. I have never seen fit to investigate them as they were usually partially consumed food items. Today’s article, a trophy, was a game-changer. My curiosity got the best of me and I grabbed it. I’m glad I did!

As you can see this is a second place trophy for a “lowered car” (more commonly known as “low riders”) in the “foreign” category. But what truly makes this a prize (in more ways than one) is the sponsor of said event.

Yup. Given I spent a great deal of my childhood in the Southwest— and watching Cheech and Chong movies— I found myself embarking upon a flight of artistic fancy. You see, when I think of low riders (and I have seen a great many. My personal favorite being a Pinto station wagon on Sunset Boulevard. It was painted a metallic shade of fuschia and sported a full wet bar in the hatchback and bud vases replete with roses.) I think of Mr. Cheech and Mr. Chong.

More specifically of this, their motor vehicle:

Pay particular attention to the customized license plates.* This is a detail I missed watching these fine films as a youth. In the 20/20 clarity that is adult hindsight it solicit fits of sophomoric laughter from yours trulys person— and served to deliver me further down the rabbit hole of my own depraved imagination.

Why hasn’t someone created a second place trophy for this act?

I asked myself. Again and again. I mean, the gift-giving (and general mayhem) potential of such an item is endless. This is of course because the recipient of said sinecure will wonder, no doubt endlessly, who is “first place”. Thus a new art project for yours truly has been born— and it was all due to a trophy I found secreted in a building in Bushwick!

To be continued…

*After some investigating I have learned that apparently such plates once graced a motor vehicle in Southern California. An AMC Gremlin no less! Priceless.

Photo Credits: The Cheech & Chong film still comes courtesy of layitlow.com!