Freeloaders (was: RE: AROC-USA, etc.)

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In AD9-490 Brian Shorey mentioned that "On the New England site, we've noticed
a lot of 'freeloaders', content to download the newsletter every month, with
seemingly no interest in joining.

"It would be nice to be able to recognize some small stream of revenue from
some of these people."

Without meaning disrespect for either individual or either position, I would
just mention that this position is diametrically opposite from the late
Fred's. He had arguments year after year with members of the AROC Board of
Directors (and with some other AROC Technical Hot Lines) over whether the Hot
Line advisors should get membership numbers or otherwise verify current AROC
membership before helping Alfa owners who phoned with problems, sometimes
literally stranded at roadside. Those who disagreed with him had some logic on
their side, as AROC was footing the monthly phone bills for the Hot Lines so
there would be no conflict with other family members tying up the single
family phone. Fred's position was that he would help anyone who needed help,
and that in the long run anything which helped one Alfa owner would eventually
help all Alfa owners and eventually help the club, as some of them responded
to our more fraternal instincts. He tried to justify it as a recruiting tool,
but it was really more of a personal quirk, (of which he had his full share).

Which reminds me of his first visit to our home. He was in his Milano,
tail-down with the back seat filled with all the stuff one would expect to see
in the trunk. The trunk had a big toolbox and a collection of parts one would
not expect to see in a Milano (or a GTV6, for that matter -) - I remember a
Spica pump toothed drive belt, for example, and an I-4 water pump. I must have
looked puzzled, because he said something like "You never know when you might
see an Alfa stranded by the side of the road -" I'm pretty sure he wouldn't
have asked to see the membership cards, and driven off if the hapless strandee
couldn't produce one. Many people found Fred - well - brusque - perhaps
idiosyncratic - but I consider myself fortunate to have seen one of his better
sides - as I know Brian has, probably more than I have.

 John H.
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