Funny how we attach emotions and memories to objects. For me... nothing I own holds more memories that my car. I remember my first car, a 1974 MG midget. This $500 go kart was a rusty colored two seater convertible. No ac, cd player, power steering or anything power for that matter. The top would leak and sometimes the windshield wipers wouldn't work. Now to most of you this car sounds like something that should be been junked, but to me... it was beautiful.
I remember the proud look on my dads face when I got my car, I also remember the sheer look of panic on my moms. This car represents so much of my life at this point in time. This car was what held most of my memories of high school dating, parties and driving to football games. I was carefree, laid back and had the potential to go anywhere the road could take me.
As I got older I sold my beloved MG because I thought that I wanted bigger and better. I moved up to a Explorer. This was also a very nice vehicle. It also cost more. This meant a job and the responsibility of making payments and up keep. I spent most of my money from my summer job to install speakers and a cd player. This is the car that would take me to college.
After a few months of driving this perfectly good Explorer, my high school girlfriend and I split up after 7 years. I felt the need to cut ties with anything to do with her. I sold my Explorer and bought a blue Jeep Wrangler, packed my bags and headed south to Orlando with my best friend Kyle. Now this jeep had no air and the top leaked... again. All that being said, it was just what I wanted. I still think about trips to Daytona and Cocoa Beach and long road trips. This Jeep was a sign of a slight rebellion in my life. I was wanting to show my parents that I was an adult and could live on my own and have the time of my life doing it. I did.... for a short while. Then after being irresponsible with my job, I lost it and had to turn the blue jeep around and head north.
I decided it was time to get my head on straight and head back to college. I sold the jeep and got another Explorer. Nothing fancy, two door white explorer. I had this car for about 6 months and then thought I needed a Land Rover. After selling the Explorer, I got a blue Land Rover Discovery. Now this gas guzzling tank is what I drove most of my college career. It managed to survive extended spring break trips, off road hill climbing and the countless DD trips to drive home intoxicated college coeds and fraternity bothers. Some of my favorite memories are tied to that car. The only problem is that I am a guy that tends to loose interest and seeks change. I decided to trade the Land Rover for an Audi.
This Audi was sleek, silver and had a turbo on it. I thought I was driving a luxury race car. I was working as a warehouse manager at the time and thought that this car was a symbol that I was moving up. No one knew that this car was a ticking time bomb that would set me back finicallyfor years. With high end cars comes high end maintenance. I had decided to move back to Orlando and had an interview. Instead of flying I was going to drive to save some money. All was good until I hit Gainsville, FL. The engine was blown. This is a $5000 problem. I decided to trade it in.
Thanks to a fraternity brother if mine, I was able to trade it in for a brand new 2007 Ford Focus. Yes... exactly what I wanted after driving Land Rovers and Audi's. Needless to say I was happy to have it. This car would eventually lead a long and eventful life. I spent many nights on the road to Tunica, Starkville, and Auburn during this cars tenure. I was laid off, heart broken and broke... but the simple Focus was always there and dependable. It was not the most beautiful car on the road but it never let me down. Always started and never failed to get me to my destination.
When my relationship failed and I got a new job, I started feeling the need to upgrade my car and shed the memories of the Focus. I purchased a new to me Mini Cooper S JCW edition. This car is a supercharged, six speed race car that is just what I wanted. Six months into this journey, I have a few memories and a few problems. Already I have had a major engine malfunction. Pumping money into high end cars seems to be a pattern for me.
I tend to believe that my car is a symbol of where I am in my life. Kind of a measuring stick. The problem with that is that I just realized I have been looking at it all wrong. The two happiest times in my life are when I had the two cheapest cars. When I had my MG I was full of optimism and hope and when I had the Focus I had the support of my friends and was grounded and dependable.
It's not the flashy cars in life that make us who we are. It is how we handle adversity and how we make the others around us feel. I just hate that it took me 29 years to understand that.
So.... if your in that point in your life and you are in that Focus.... keep driving it until the wheels fall off. The BMW across the street only brings more problems. Take time to appreciate the dependability you already have.
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