But she was so faithful, so dependable, so...low maintenance.
Our friend, an '88 Toyota Corolla wagon (aka: "The Beater Wagon") has gone to a better place now. At least I hope it's better. We decided that we didn't need her* services anymore and so we passed her on to someone who would get more use out of her. So I guess for the Beater Wagon, our parting is not so much an ending as a new beginning. Not so much "goodbye" as "hello."
As the first car either Jill or I ever owned, she probably deserves a more moving eulogy. Maybe I should write a poem. Or a funeral dirge. But alas, the grief is too great. The pain too deep. So I'll just list off a few things that I'll miss...
- Being able to sing "Big guy in a little car."
- The cloud of blue smoke she'd belch out after sitting idle in our driveway a few days.
- Hauling couches, dogs, lamps, bikes, grills, mattresses, and about anything else you can name...
- Being able to say that I drive a station wagon.
- The smug feeling of self-satisfaction and moral superiority I get knowing that my car is crappier than your car.
- The great free advertising I was giving to Dordt College with my "Alumni" sticker in the back window (I took the sticker off). What better proof could there be than that car that Dordt alumns are very successfull?
- The duct tape that held the blinker/light switch together.
- The long list of "quirks" I'd have to tell people who wanted to borrow the car.
- The raw power of that four cylinder engine.
- The great connecting point I had with my neighbor as we talked cars: the points of comparison between the Corolla and his new Porsche were endless. Really.
*Why are cars always personified with the feminine pronoun?
4 comments:
last time I checked, your other car wasn't exactly a hummer so I think you can still sing your song.
Sid
It really seems that somewhere in your eulogy you should have mentioned the saint/unsung hero who drove your Toyota all the way from Grand Rapids to Denver.
You know what this means . . . it's down to Dad and I for who will hang on to his clunker the longest. You made a good run with the Toyota though.
Micah--Sorry, but your clunkers are in a completely different category then mine. If I understand correctly, you can't leave town with yours. Not only was the "Beater Wagon" (may she rest in peace) older than both of your cars, she made it from Michigan to Colorado and was still going strong (or with a little work, would still be going strong). Impressive, I say. Just goes to show why we should all give up on fords etc and drive Toyota's and Hondas. Even if it isn't patriotic.
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