Moments: Memories of Car

I’ve had Car for a long time. Many miles, many adventures and many friends have been in her. She is a scrapbook of adventures. I love the bits about her that look like nothing (or even trash/junk) to the outside world…. The faded beaded necklace nestled in the brasilian friendship bracelets that I was always told to remove for state inspections, the bits of tape left on the drivers side window reminding me of the kindness of strangers, the devil in the corner of the windshield reminding me of another great road warrior BB from the HTFSUAA Tour (How To Fuck Shit Up Across America Tour), the EAA sticker & Jesus fish & velcro on the steering wheel all reminders of my dad. Car lived and traveled hard and rode over anything and rarely let things slip all the way past 262 thou miles.

The tape story.. I had a job in a horrible neighborhood in Long Island City, NY. I parked in one of those lots and went about my biz. At around 9pm, I was wrapped and headed back to pick up Car from the lot and found the lot to be locked and closed!!!! Here I was at night in a bad hood and there was Car locked on the other side of a huge gate!! ahhhhh!!! My cell phone was low and there were no taxi’s in site. I walked over to Car as she had been moved and parked near the fence and I saw an envelope taped to the drivers side window. On it was a note that said ‘Call Juan’ and a phone #. I called (had just enough juice) and the most incredible lot attendant EVER said that he just had a feeling that I was a good person and he didn’t want me to be without Car so he directed me to the locked gate where a traffic cone was inside but within reach. I pulled it towards the gate and flipped it over and found where he had left a key to the gate taped on the inside!!! He said he trusted that I would lock everything up after I rescued Car!! IN NYC! SERIOUSLY! Yes, that is the type of luck that Car brought on the road.

It was a bit of a shocker to realize that this journey was now over, even though she hadn’t technically ‘died’ on me. My awesome mechanic & friend, Kevin at the Honda Dealership in Mechanicsville, broke the news to me the day before Thanksgiving. I had dropped her off to check on a strange noise and he called to tell me that Car wasn’t even safe enough for me to drive home. Pretty much she had almost turned into the Flinestone car and I know I’m not in good enough shape for all that running. She had made it through the time a tractor trailer took a corner too sharply and picked up Car and dragged her (with me inside) for 1/2 a block. That was a pretty look on her. And now with no obvious damage.. She was at the end.

I loved the odd bits of her too.. I don’t know why but my glove compartment was always filled with spoons. For some inexplicable reason, I always picked up spoons at rest stops and this is where they lived. I guess in case anyone had a yogurt emergency while traveling? Not sure…but if you needed a spoon, Car had you covered.

Car had been violated 6 times before I decided not to replace the CD player anymore. We traveled with the radio. Almost every trip started and ended with a Jason Mraz song. A totally random lil bit that reminded me of home and high school and got each journey off to a great start and brought me home safely. I also caught children doodling on her quite often as well. I guess she looked like a coloring book for keys.

I loved Car. I lived Car. Now I’ve got to say goodbye to Car. Oh the good times that were had inside her.

Lobster is hard to eat while driving. Gummy Bears are easier.

Car was always getting backstage.

You can’t see Car in the pic below cuz we were sitting on top of her. These are my amazing friends from the Fiona Apple Crew who rescued Car after the oil cap had disappeared and she was dead upon arrival at the show (2005?). They filled her up and fashioned a makeshift cap so Daisy, Melissa & I could get home. Ray & Dan – love y’all. and Gungi – the world still hurts from the loss of you.