Before emigrating to the States in 1979,
Trimpin used to spend his summers hitchhiking around.
Trimpin once hitched a ride with a trucker,
only to have the man drive off somewheres in Alabama
with the artist/inventor's knapsack, wallet, and passport.
The local police had no clue what to make of Trimpin,
who (with his long hair and shaggy beard)
looked like he'd just stepped out of
the Old Testament.
Things only grew worse when the officers asked Trimpin
for his height and weight.
He related the info in scrambled English --
in centimeters and kilos.
Hoping to at least fix up the nut case with a change of clothes,
the cops took Trimpin to the local Salvation Army store.
Here, the artist was immediately struck by
'what incredible junk you have in this country!'
He realized he'd have to move to the States,
just to take full advantage of all the scrap.
:ph.jpg)
