Nine years have passed since I bought my little blue car. I call her Leilani in memory of my mother, which is Hawaiian for beautiful flower. I remember when I set out on my mission to complete a car purchase. Although it was the middle of spring, we had received a generous amount of snow the night before. Contrary to popular misconceptions, snow usually melts quickly in Colorado when the sun is shining. By the time I had left, there were a few banks of snow that had been pushed aside from the plows but it was just a memory on the asphalt of the roads.
I had already set out knowing exactly what I wanted. For the first time in my life, I was making a big purchase on my own. I had wanted a Honda Civic with a moon roof and spoiler, a 5-speed (better to handle in the wintry mountain weather), tinted windows, power locks and a key-less entry. I wasn’t asking for much since most of those were standard features. Finally, I found the one I wanted in the back of the lot. There were only three EX models, one in red the others in silver but I was set on blue.
I was about to leave when they told me they could bring one in from another town that was almost an hour away. I agreed on the condition that they would have it ready for me by the end of the weekend since I wanted features added. When I picked up my new car I was so ecstatic! This was the first time I had ever had a new car. The security of knowing it wouldn’t break down on me leaving me stranded like so many before her had done. The moment was perfect.
Nowadays, she is rickety and worn like an old broken in shoe with scars from accidents gone by and sticky unknown objects from children that have dirtied her once pristine seats. Now, like a little old lady who struggles to reach her destination but with conviction, always seems to come through. She’ll reach 200,000 miles this month and I am saddened knowing that her end is near. I hoped to pass her onto one of my children but I am not sure she’ll live to see that day. So, I trudge on to the next chapter when I get to start all over again on a quest to purchase another new car.
I had already set out knowing exactly what I wanted. For the first time in my life, I was making a big purchase on my own. I had wanted a Honda Civic with a moon roof and spoiler, a 5-speed (better to handle in the wintry mountain weather), tinted windows, power locks and a key-less entry. I wasn’t asking for much since most of those were standard features. Finally, I found the one I wanted in the back of the lot. There were only three EX models, one in red the others in silver but I was set on blue.
I was about to leave when they told me they could bring one in from another town that was almost an hour away. I agreed on the condition that they would have it ready for me by the end of the weekend since I wanted features added. When I picked up my new car I was so ecstatic! This was the first time I had ever had a new car. The security of knowing it wouldn’t break down on me leaving me stranded like so many before her had done. The moment was perfect.
Nowadays, she is rickety and worn like an old broken in shoe with scars from accidents gone by and sticky unknown objects from children that have dirtied her once pristine seats. Now, like a little old lady who struggles to reach her destination but with conviction, always seems to come through. She’ll reach 200,000 miles this month and I am saddened knowing that her end is near. I hoped to pass her onto one of my children but I am not sure she’ll live to see that day. So, I trudge on to the next chapter when I get to start all over again on a quest to purchase another new car.
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