The first and sole car I've ever purchased and it only had 11 miles on it when I pulled out of the dealer's lot. That was in February of 1998. This past Sunday we put my beloved Cavalier to pasture.
Last summer I ran into a friend that I hadn't seen in quite awhile and he laughed when he saw the Cav, "You're still driving that thing?!?" Laughing along with him, "I haven't had a car payment in years and it gets me where I'm going with good gas mileage. Why get something else?"
I'm not a "car guy." In my worldview they are just a means to
get from Point-A to Point-B, so I've never really cared about them or
been overly impressed by any. Yet 190,000+ miles later I have a ton of great memories with this car. Youth group rides, family stuff, late night drives up and down Lakeshore blasting the Pumpkins, and road trips to Indy, St Louis, Florida, Cleveland, Bair Lake Bible Camp (countless times) and a ton of other places from over the last 12 years. My favorite memory is definitely when Jeannette and I drove to South Dakota to see the Badlands and Mt Rushmore.
But on Sunday it was laid to rest. It's in Indiana now at my dad's to be used for parts. The AC doesn't work, the parking brake is shot, the drivers seat doesn't stay up on it's own, the trunk won't open, the cigarette lighter is broke (hence no phone charging option), the headlights only stay on if you keep the control bar on the steering shaft pulled back slightly and even then the front left headlight was out, oh...and this is all separate from the fact the car was actually declared totaled after someone pulled out and hit me back in November. I'll be curious to see what parts dad is able to pull off it. =)
A few weeks ago Baylee was getting into the car with me and said, "Daddy, your car is nasty."
"Yes baby, yes it is. It's old and beat up, but it's done us good. Lots of good trips in this car."
"Well why don't you get a new car and we can take that on a trip?"
Pretty soon. Pretty soon.
Anyone have a good story about my car to share in the comments?
1 comment:
Ok... I never comment on these things, but I totally remember you getting the cav! I have to admit, I got a little nostalgic reading the post... it's been a long time! I know that isn't car, but I remember playing football by your house in Merrillville... and Greg running to catch that pass and hitting those waist high (or slightly shorter) posts! LOL ... then I started thinking about Young Guns, TPing everyone we could... playing basketball in people's driveways until they came out and asked us what we were doing and kicked us out... driving the 60 passenger church bus to the gas station when Jerry was the youth intern (I was barely 16)... countless Petra and D&K drawings, concerts and Tapes... Those were the days!
Jeremy
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