How I learned about FrankenPinto

I knew Brian tangentially as a member of my friends’ Kim and Chris Laudermilk’s dance
troupe, Tribe Roman Morga (TRM) for many years; however, it was only recently that I had the opportunity to spend more time in his company and get glimpses into the amazing warm, playful, generous man that was Brian Von KleinSmid.

This past December I was invited to TRM’s annual holiday gathering at Brian and Julie’s home and had a firsthand look at the wonderful and sometimes kooky personalities comprising the members of TRM.  I also learned very quickly about
Brian’s and Chris’s love of—perhaps I would go so far as to say obsession over???—cars.   I got my first clue of their obsession on Christmas Day at Chris and Kim’s home;  however, it was when we were at Brian and Julie’s three days later that I saw the black car with the shark’s teeth painted on its sides parked in front of the garage.  When I revealed my ignorance of being able to recognize car types on site by asking Brian and Chris what kind of car this was, they hesitated for a moment as if trying to figure out the correct answer; then explained that this vehicle was actually an amalgamation of parts from many different vehicles, with the frame being that of a Pinto.  I replied that, rather than shark’s teeth, perhaps they should paint stitches on the car a la Frankenstein’s monster.  That was when I learned that they had named their project  “FrankenPinto” and, in fact, intended to decorate it to resemble Frankenstein’s monster when it was finished—with painted on  sutures and two screws sticking out of the sides.  Thus, I got my first glimpse into Brian’s wonderful sense of humor.   I gained a much greater appreciation for it during his beautiful memorial this past Saturday, which makes me all the more sad that I cannot look forward to future occasions made happier by his wit and generous spirit.