My car, my identity?
A few months ago as I prepared to buy my new (to me) Volvo, I blogged here about the elation I felt just thinking I might own it. I liken the experience to a young girl meeting a new boy she might like to talk to more and then accidentally on purpose run into him a lot. I never did stuff like that, but I have seen it on TV.
And when I bought said station wagon I announced it here proudly. I mean, it was a dream come true....a Volvo station wagon with a car seat!
At Flickerfest, Flickerwood Julie and I talked at some length over our love affairs with our Volvo station wagons. Hers died on the PA turnpike. I told her if something like that happened to my Volvo, I would get desparate. I would probably require sedation.
But at the HS Reunion weekend, Rhenda asked me the one question she always asks me when we get together every few years:
"So, do you still have the blue Contour?"
Ah yes, my 1995 Contour. The first car I ever owned. The only car I ever drove when I first got my license (I was 22). That car has 140,000 hard-earned miles on it. It was my first great automotive love that was not just a fantasy. In 2002, when I was driving back to Newtown, PA, from the Johansson plant in Boonton, it completely died on 287 near the Bridgewater exit. Randy had to drive up to get me, and I had the car towed to an Engine Exchange in chatham, NJ. When they told me how much it would cost to replace the engine (not quite as much as the car was worth, but darn close) I did not hesitate to give them the go-ahead. I mean, for the few thousand dollars it would cost to replace the engine, the car would last several more years, and would still be cheaper than a new car payment. It took a little longer than normal to get the job finished, though. They had a little difficulty locating a low-mileage salvage engine for a '95 Contour, so they had to get a new one. I guess there is not much call for new engines in this model. When I went to pick up my car when it was done, the lot around the garage was full of the types of cars you would expect to find at an Engine Exchange--a couple of Corvettes from various years, at least 2 TA's, a Camero, and a Mustang 5.0 (like in the Vanilla Ice video). And there, so humble yet ready for service, my Contour. It almost looked like a Children's book in the making, that somehow my little Blue Car would show all the shiny sexy cars...uh...a thing or two?
So when Rhenda inquired about the car, I could, for once, not answer the unwavering yes.
"As a matter of fact," I replied, "on Monday I am transferring the title of that car over to Randy's youngest daughter."
I got it all out without getting choked up, much to my surprise.
Yes, as a combination 18th birthday/HS graduation present for Katie C, we gave her my car. Which is now her car. Her car. Hers.
In the photo above you see Katie holding her new plate next to the car. She is standing next to a faded but still visible sticker that I put on the car only 2 weeks after buying it in 1995. It says on it No Time to Hate. When Katie was like 9 or 10 and I had to take her somewhere for Randy, that was her side of the car.
But I did also add to Rhenda that should anything befall that car, should it need to be put down, I would buy it back from her, and put it on blocks in my backyard. Maybe even give it the home it always deserved in a climate-controlled garage where I might nurse it back to health. And if that is not possible, I will save some part of it, to keep forever.
Then she teased me a little about her disbelief over my owning a station wagon. My reply:
"It is bliss on four wheels."
Okay, so at this point in my life I really thought that I would be identified with a sleeker or hotter car. I was starting to look at the Nissan Z right before I found out I was pregnant. Talk about shift_Life. Someday a Z might be in my future, but I will take any year. Really. I love the Z series. How many of you know what the name was supposed to be for the predecessor of the Z? The Fair Lady, as in My Fair Lady. I would love a 280Z, I would accept a 320ZX, but I think I would most definitely be torn between a 260Z and the 2003 Z.
But see? I thought I would be identified in people's minds with the Z.
Nope, a Contour.
And now a Volvo station wagon.
Ah, bliss.
And when I bought said station wagon I announced it here proudly. I mean, it was a dream come true....a Volvo station wagon with a car seat!
At Flickerfest, Flickerwood Julie and I talked at some length over our love affairs with our Volvo station wagons. Hers died on the PA turnpike. I told her if something like that happened to my Volvo, I would get desparate. I would probably require sedation.
But at the HS Reunion weekend, Rhenda asked me the one question she always asks me when we get together every few years:
"So, do you still have the blue Contour?"
Ah yes, my 1995 Contour. The first car I ever owned. The only car I ever drove when I first got my license (I was 22). That car has 140,000 hard-earned miles on it. It was my first great automotive love that was not just a fantasy. In 2002, when I was driving back to Newtown, PA, from the Johansson plant in Boonton, it completely died on 287 near the Bridgewater exit. Randy had to drive up to get me, and I had the car towed to an Engine Exchange in chatham, NJ. When they told me how much it would cost to replace the engine (not quite as much as the car was worth, but darn close) I did not hesitate to give them the go-ahead. I mean, for the few thousand dollars it would cost to replace the engine, the car would last several more years, and would still be cheaper than a new car payment. It took a little longer than normal to get the job finished, though. They had a little difficulty locating a low-mileage salvage engine for a '95 Contour, so they had to get a new one. I guess there is not much call for new engines in this model. When I went to pick up my car when it was done, the lot around the garage was full of the types of cars you would expect to find at an Engine Exchange--a couple of Corvettes from various years, at least 2 TA's, a Camero, and a Mustang 5.0 (like in the Vanilla Ice video). And there, so humble yet ready for service, my Contour. It almost looked like a Children's book in the making, that somehow my little Blue Car would show all the shiny sexy cars...uh...a thing or two?
So when Rhenda inquired about the car, I could, for once, not answer the unwavering yes.
"As a matter of fact," I replied, "on Monday I am transferring the title of that car over to Randy's youngest daughter."
I got it all out without getting choked up, much to my surprise.
Yes, as a combination 18th birthday/HS graduation present for Katie C, we gave her my car. Which is now her car. Her car. Hers.
In the photo above you see Katie holding her new plate next to the car. She is standing next to a faded but still visible sticker that I put on the car only 2 weeks after buying it in 1995. It says on it No Time to Hate. When Katie was like 9 or 10 and I had to take her somewhere for Randy, that was her side of the car.
But I did also add to Rhenda that should anything befall that car, should it need to be put down, I would buy it back from her, and put it on blocks in my backyard. Maybe even give it the home it always deserved in a climate-controlled garage where I might nurse it back to health. And if that is not possible, I will save some part of it, to keep forever.
Then she teased me a little about her disbelief over my owning a station wagon. My reply:
"It is bliss on four wheels."
Okay, so at this point in my life I really thought that I would be identified with a sleeker or hotter car. I was starting to look at the Nissan Z right before I found out I was pregnant. Talk about shift_Life. Someday a Z might be in my future, but I will take any year. Really. I love the Z series. How many of you know what the name was supposed to be for the predecessor of the Z? The Fair Lady, as in My Fair Lady. I would love a 280Z, I would accept a 320ZX, but I think I would most definitely be torn between a 260Z and the 2003 Z.
But see? I thought I would be identified in people's minds with the Z.
Nope, a Contour.
And now a Volvo station wagon.
Ah, bliss.
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