I met Reuben as I was walking past his used car lot on the outskirts of Boise. I heard two men screaming and went to see what was going on. Reuben was standing next to a car and a man and his son were walking away from him shouting. After they left I asked Reuben what it had been about and he said, "Oh, people come in here all the time trying to screw me so why shouldn't I try to screw them?" Mind you, this was at a time that in a national poll a majority of Americans said they would trust a used car salesman more than they would trust the President who, some of you might remember, was President Nixon, or, at least he was when I took this picture. Nixon resigned exactly four days later. Reuben invited me to his home for the night and he and his wife were gracious hosts.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Reuben Cortez, used car dealer, Boise, Idaho, August 1974
I met Reuben as I was walking past his used car lot on the outskirts of Boise. I heard two men screaming and went to see what was going on. Reuben was standing next to a car and a man and his son were walking away from him shouting. After they left I asked Reuben what it had been about and he said, "Oh, people come in here all the time trying to screw me so why shouldn't I try to screw them?" Mind you, this was at a time that in a national poll a majority of Americans said they would trust a used car salesman more than they would trust the President who, some of you might remember, was President Nixon, or, at least he was when I took this picture. Nixon resigned exactly four days later. Reuben invited me to his home for the night and he and his wife were gracious hosts.
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2 comments:
That picture is of my father, Reuben Cortes, I am Penny his fifth daughter. I still live in Boise, but my father died five years ago complications due to a stoke.
Wow i had not seen this.
That My Uncle Reuben. At the age of 16 Mom sent up to Idaho to spend the summer with the cortes family. Aunt Marge, Little Penny and Reuben jr. it was quite an esperience for me as i had never been any place like that. i didnt thimk there was anyplace else but TEXAS. I learned alot from Uncle, especially how to compound and wax cars, clean up the engins, dye the rugs and seats it was quite a workout. But he also taught me how to trout fish all the way up to Kalispel, Montana in his RV. Man was I in high cotton.Those are days i will never forget. When he put me on the kplane to come home he gave me a 22 rifle that i carried on the plane with me. Image that. Roy R. Reina
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