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Jeep There’s Only One

                                                     


 

Eugene the Jeep is a character from E. C. Segar's Thimble Theater comic strip that spawned the likes of the famous Popeye the Sailor Man, Wimpy and Olive Oyl. He was Popeye’s pet but what kind of pet is unknown. The mysterious jeep had some cat-like features, a huge nose, and possessed magical abilities that drew those around him into fantastic journeys. Eugene was sometimes used as a mascot for schools and other child-related organizations and events. The World War II MB vehicle we have all come to know as the Jeep was unofficially named after this character, possibly because it could go just about everywhere. The name obviously caught on.

Unlike other auto manufacturers who present a much broader array of brands, all Jeep models share a common heritage and remain popular in part because of it. The Jeep is authentic. It is the “car” that helped us win World War II.  It has been on every battlefield since, and movies and television helped promote its legacy by putting it in four-wheel drive right into popular culture.

                                                                  

If you are not on Medicare, chances are you do not recognize Eugene the jeep, but you know his namesake.

“Pardon me, but can I ask you why you drive a Jeep?”  I questioned the driver of a black Jeep Wrangler – a woman probably in her late thirties, because the vehicle drew my attention. We were both in a supermarket shopping lot.

“Jeep, it is as American as apple pie, rugged, reliable, resilient, and dependable. It gets me where I need to go. It is the one brand that proudly waves the flag. I love mine.”

“I bet you like you like to have fun with it too, right? pointing to the spare tire cover.

We both laughed, “I sure do,” came the reply.

                                                


 

 

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