the day my trusty-side kick was totaled

Thursday February 28, 2013.

After classes were over and after the bus dropped me off at west campus I got a some-what panic call from Brandon. 

He was headed to school and wanted to be early so he could drive me to my car. 

The call came in and I acted like it was just an ordinary call. 

“Hey Brand! How’s it going? Where are ya?!”

“Lyss, I was in an accident, I’m okay, I’m at 51st and Cactus, come get me!” 

Of course I freak out and start running to my car, at this point I don’t care what the other kids think because I have to get to Brand. 

I definitely got some funny looks from drivers passing by,

I think they thought I was running from a bad guy. haha!

While I’m driving in my car and I see a firetruck driving in the direction of the accident. 

So, I freak out again and call Brand to make sure everything is okay. 

(Turns out the firetruck was heading to the accident just to make sure the car wasn’t going to catch on fire.)

I get to the accident, park the car at the nearby shopping center, and walk over to where my “girlee” is. 

(Girlee is what I call my car.)

I nearly started crying when I saw how bad she looked. 

My 18 year old care was totaled. 

And I was so sad. 

I walked across the street to check on Brand and see if he was okay, 

he was fine, just a little bit sore. 

I turned to the man who accidentally ran into the car and asked him if he was okay too. 

In broken English he told me that he was fine and wanted to know when the police would get here. 

It took a few more minutes till the police got there, the officer collected everyone’s information, called us a tow truck and we went on our separate ways.  

Brand and I headed home, where I have to admit I had a pretty good cry. 

I cried because I was sad that my car, that I had for 8 years, was gone. 

This sounds silly, but she really had a place in my heart. 

There are so many memories I have with that car. 

Like, the trip we took to California for our honeymoon. 

The multiple trips we took in it to Rocky Point. 

The numerous lunch breaks I spent in it because the weather was great and I didn’t want to sit inside and waste away the day. 

The morning drives to high school with my younger brother where we blasted our gangster rap like it was going out of style. Yeah, we thought we were cool. Oh, and do you like those bangs?!

The time I popped the tire while driving over a curb in the parking lot, you should have seen that hole I made!

3 1/2 years of driving to work in traffic, in the cold, and having to wear golves. 

The sun roof. Boy did I feel so cool having a sun roof.

Rainy nights coming home from work hardly being able to see the road. 

Scraping the ice off the car window and being late for work because I wasn’t prepared to do that. 

Picking my dad up from work and going to Brandon’s graduation. 

Taking her on our first, and only, camping trip as a married couple.

(there she is, in the background)

All the little quirks she had, the visor not staying up all the way,

the radio volume dial skipping a whole volume level. 

The hazard light button that stuck, you literally had to get a knife to pry the button out. 

The back passenger side window that didn’t roll down because the motor was broken. 

The back driver side door that wouldn’t automatically lock. 

Its “sunburn” – in her later years she got really bad sun damage. 

It’s memories and quirks like these where I wish I could just drive her for one last time.

I bet that sounds so silly. 

I will never forget the first time I drove that girlee. 

Oh that bubble tint was atrocious – thanks mom and dad for getting it fixed. 

Swerving on the 51, to my defense I had never driven on that freeway and it was pretty tricky for a young girl.  

I’m pretty sure my dad was freaked out by my driving that day.

I remember picking her up at the judges house, she looked so shiny and pretty with no sun damage.

I had no idea why we were there until my dad told me the car was mine. 

I don’t think I had the right reaction, and sometimes I’m not good at expressing my feelings. 

But I have to say I was so excited!

picture – 2005

picture – march 2013

So this is my good bye post, to remember all the great things about my car. 

You could say I was somewhat connected to her. 

And I will always miss how trusty she was, she never once broke down on me.

So, thank you Girlee, thank you for being the most perfect car a girl could ask for. 

You are irreplaceable and I will never forget you.