The Tappet Bros minus 1

I was listening to the Car Talk guys this weekend -- it happens whenever I sleep in that before I know it, the guys are cackling in the background ... and I can't tear myself away.

I clued a friend in not too long ago that Click and Clack had retired and these were reruns... he had no idea.

It really doesn't matter - unless you are paying super close attention to the years of the cars and the guys talking about the relationship of time to the repair.

This weekend, one of the brothers, I could not keep them straight, nearly proposed to a woman who called in to get their advice about buying a used stretch limo.  When she said that one of her other cars was a 52 convertible cadillac, one of those Magliozzi was ready to buy a ticket to Florida.

I thought, then, about the fact that this was a rerun ... and wondered wistfully if they hadn't met up after all.

Then I opened the newspaper online Monday afternoon and saw that Tom had passed.

I guess the mystery of why they retired from the radio show is revealed by Tom's condition.

The pain of his passing must be somewhat diminished by the fact that he is no longer controlled by that anguish.

Still, so freshly having lost my siblings, my heart aches for Ray (and their sister, Lucille).

I can hear them laughing in the background of my mind.  What a treasure they are ... and I am so thankful for the many years of listening thus far ... and for the many to come as Ray has graciously allowed NPR to continue to air their reruns.

If you have never heard any of their shows, treat yourself to some.

NPR has some other lovely remembrances of Ray here and here and here.

Here is what the NYTimes had to say about him.

Here is the LATimes obituary.