[i_am_proteus]

Relevant John McPhee article from a couple of decades ago: https://archive.md/5GIIg

He rode across the country with an owner operator, and he tells the story.

"A true truck has eighteen wheels, or more. From Atlanta and Charlotte to North Powder, Oregon, this was the first time that Ainsworth had so much as tapped his air horn. In three thousand one hundred and ninety miles I rode with him he used it four times. He gave it a light, muted blast to thank a woman in a four-wheeler who helped us make a turn in urban traffic close to our destination, and he used it twice in the Yakima Valley, flirting with a woman who was wearing a bikini. She passed us on I-82, and must have pulled over somewhere, because she passed us again on I-90. She waved both times the horn erupted. She was riding in a convertible and her top was down."

[dmd]

> She was riding in a convertible and her top was down.

Now that is a great ambiguous sentence.

[mc32]

Off vs down makes a difference.

[dmd]

So does the antecedent of the pronoun, though. It's McPhee. He knew exactly what he was doing.

[Stratoscope]

What a great article! Thank you for linking to it.

I love the ambiguity of the last sentence you quoted. I won't spoil it for others; just go read the article, it's that good.

Fair warning: it is long form journalism, of the best kind. Give yourself some time to savor it.

[i_am_proteus]

Full circle: I discovered this article after another HN commenter suggested the book Uncommon Carriers, a collection of essays including this one.

[philshem]

Thanks for posting. Here’s the original url for any of us who subscribe and want to save the article in the app

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/02/17/a-fleet-of-one

[snowypine]

Never saw this article before but wow is it a great read.