Arnie Johnson Tribute No. 8: Memorable Arnie Stories…

By Kiyoshi Hamai

VISITS to LCU (Lotus Cars USA)

During my short tenure with LCU (Lotus Cars USA), I’d visit the office in Lawrenceville periodically. All too often I’d walk past Arnie’s office and see and hear him on the phone helping out a dealer, a tech or a customer with a problem. That was Arnie, he relished helping those with a Lotus problem.

On another visit to HQ, I was working with Mark and he suggested we go to lunch with Dave and Arnie. Mark and I got in the rear, Arnie shotgun and Dave drove (the car was his rental). That simple ride down the street to lunch turned into an adventure. Dave was making a left through a large intersection, Arnie leans over, grabs the key and turns the ignition off. The steering locks, the car slows and Dave’s struggling to get the car sta rted while the traffic nearing our bumper!

Dave twists the key and unlocks the steering and restarts the engine. Everyone is howling. And, we’re going again.

Next corner … It happens again!!

3rd corner Arnie does it again except he goes further and pulls the key out of the ignition and drops it on the floorboard!!! Ever try to stop a car when the engine is off? You need thighs of an elephant. Dave gets the car stopped in the middle of an intersection, he’s groping around the floor trying to find the keys, now traffic is piling up and honking and I’m about to piss my pants laughing so hard!!!

Gawd, I miss Arnie …
See you in heaven my friend!