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'49 Fraziers and Fools
by John Root
The date was early March, 1952.
As the sun began to rise over Mobile Bay, two tugs came alongside our crippled World War II Liberty Ship to nurse it alongside the salvage dock at the Mobile shipyard.
My shipmates and I had just crossed the Atlantic Ocean where a terrible storm had taken its toll on the ship. The vessel was further damaged by another storm as we rounded Key West heading for Mobile. Several cracks had appeared across the deck, forward of #4 hold, and further inspection below deck showed the cracks had spread down near the water line. Our company honchos decided to scrap the ship rather than try to repair it.
Once we secured the ship, with no cargo to unload, most of the crew was given shore leave. This was the first time we'd touched U.S. shores in five months, and as you may well imagine, there was cause for great celebration and a mad dash for the gangplank.
All members of the crew had been given 'draws' to hold them over until the payoff which was scheduled for the next day. Most of the fellows, as is fairly usual with seamen, headed for the nearest bar in order to celebrate a safe return from the sea.
Now, I have to tell you, all of us had signed aboard that ship in Seattle, Washington, and almost all of us had never been below the Mason-Dixon line. We didn't know the first thing about Southern Culture . . . but we soon learned.
Charlie McAlister, my watch partner/friend, and I decided we'd buy a car and drive back to Seattle. The roadtrip would be fun, and we'd be able to see parts of America we'd never seen before. According to Union regulations we were all to be given $100.00 for train fare back to Seattle--we figured that would go a long way toward purchasing a nice car. So we opted to forego the bars and head for the nearest used car lot.
We came across a used car lot that had several cars and an office at the back. When we approached the lot we saw an older gentleman out front, puffing on a cigarette and looking very much like a car salesman--honest and reliable. We told him we were looking for a decent car, one that would get us from Mobile, Alabama, to Seattle without any trouble. He scratched his chin, thought a minute, and declared he had just the car for us.
He led us to a 1949 Frazier 4-door sedan. Now, this car looked as if it were brand new. Also, this flashy auto was made by Kaiser Corp, the same company which made our Liberty ship. We figured if they could made a fine ship like the Liberty, they'd be able to make a fine car also. So, we asked if we could take the Frazier for a test drive. The car salesman said yes, so we jumped in and eased out of the lot. Well, this car ran like no other I ever had before--a 'creampuff,' in car jargon.
We liked it. A lot. And the salesman said we could drive if off for $700.00. Now, in 1952, that was a goodly sum, but we figured if we could get it for $600.00, we could consider we were getting a 'deal.' We offered $600.00.
The salesman hemmed and hawed for a few minutes, and then he told us he'd have to go ask the boss. He shuffled to the little office behind the building, did what he had to do, and then came back. He told us the boss decided that instead of $700.00 he wanted $750.00 for the car. Our honest, sympathetic Alabama salesman said he was sorry about that.
Low blow, that one, since he'd quoted us $700.00 initially, but we told him we'd go look around and maybe come back. Charlie and I went across the street to a little bar, had a couple of beers, and talked it over. Both of us wanted that Frazier bad. We decided to go back and offer him $700.00.
We went back to the car dealership and found the salesman sitting on the porch of the office, smoking another cigarette and reading the local paper. When we offered him $700.00, he grinned, got up, ambled into the office, then returned quickly. Nope, he said, the boss still wanted $750.00. He looked all sad, and we felt bad he was having to deal with disappointing us. Wasn't his fault.
We wandered over to the car, took another good look, and decided this fine car was worth $750.00, even though we had to pay $50.00 over the original asking price.
We agreed on the $750.00 and told him we'd give him $100.00 to hold it for us and we'd be back the next day after payoff to pay the rest. He said he'd get us a receipt and then went into the office.
Charlie and I followed him. Entering the little office, we saw there was no one else there! Took a minute, but we finally realized our super salesman was himself the 'boss.'
Charlie and I learned a lesson that day. You just don't mess with 'good 'ol boys.'
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From: Betty Beamguard of SC
Message: Your story makes me feel better. When I bought my 1st car in Dixon TN as a new school teacher, I picked out one I liked the color of, told the guy I'd take it, and then when I sat down to pay, asked if he could maybe knock some off the price.
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BIO: John Root was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. At 17, he went to Alaska to commercial fish. WW II was raging, so that fall when the fishing season was over he joined the Merchant Marine and sailed to various war zones, where his ships carried the vital war materials so desperately needed.
After WWII, Root went back to commercial fishing in Alaska. During the off season he continued to sail the merchant ships to various parts of the world.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1952, he married and fished Alaska in the summer and drove a truck in L.A. in the winter and spring. A few years later he started his own trucking company, quit fishing, and continued the trucking enterprise until 1989, when he sold the company and semi-retired.
We regret to report that John Root died in 2006.