Sad Day

I got a car when  I was 16.

A gently used red Ford Escort.

The first place I drove it? To pick GAR up from middle school band practice. He played trumpet. It was raining. His exact words were something like, "Mom and Dad finally got you a car? Cool." Oh the insight.

I drove it up and down I-35 a million times, back and forth to College Station a million times, religiously had my oil changed. Learned where all of my vital fluids... how to change my air filter...

Friends learned that they better put their Cd's in before we left wherever we were or they would be crawling into the trunk from the back seat en route since the CD changer was stashed in it's far corners.

My friend ANT bought me a teacher's pointer to reach the key pad to her gate because I was too low (and my arms too short) to reach it from my window (it came in handy at Sonic, too).

I only got one ticket in the car. I was backed in to once and I rear-bumped (seriously. We got out to look and the girl just laughed and said her Dad would never notice so we went along our merry ways) someone once.

I loved driving it in Dallas - the spots are so small and everyone else's cars so shiny and new (or just too big) that it made my car easy to park.

I loved that whenever we were going somewhere in college no one ever (veeeeeery rarely) asked me to drive. And I thought it was funny that during recruitment week I was asked to park in the back of the house.

Whenever I was asked when I was getting a new car I liked to reference Warren Buffet and my low car payment ($0 a month!).

And now my sweet little red car is dead.

The last place I drove it? To get pizza and go to Jojo's house with Brie. It died at a stop light (of course I was first in line) about half a mile from Jojo's and 200 yards from my mechanic. Literally.

I had to get it towed (after some nice guys pushed me into a parking lot on the corner) and after it was all checked out it was pronounced DOA. My mechanic said other than the issues it looked good. Apparently metal filings in the oil will do an engine in. And he commended me on milking over 150k miles out of my 4-cylinder engine.

I'll admit it. I cried when we went to clean everything out. My little red car gave 11 good years. I'll miss it and its amazing ac.

Bye bye, Red Car. I love you!!!