it was vertical (pointing down) from the factory...someone must have
removed it and turned it 90 degrees.

Unscrew it and rotate it a quarter turn.

>I give up. I have stared at the rear handle on the inside of the sliding
>door for ever and ever. I have tried to use it when closing the door. If
>it was vertical instead of horizontal, I might see how it could be to
>assist closing the door from within. But it's just this slender,
>slippery thing that doesn't seem to assist with any useful function near
>as I can tell. The vermiform appendix of Vanagon interiors or something?
>--