It was awful.
It was my first.
I was stopped in traffic on the freeway when I heard a slight screech and saw a car hit the car behind me. I braced myself because I knew, he was going to hit me. I wish I had a way of escaping that one, but I was trapped and fearful of hitting the guy in front me. Thankfully, that didn't happen.
My car was a wreck.
Unfortunately, my car is a total loss.
Two days ago, I was told to come to the collision center to clean it out. I started thinking, "This is it. This is literally the end of the life of my car. And I am suppose to collect my belongings and call it a day?"
I brought a large plastic bin to the center and was greeted by an 18-year old car lackey who showed me to my car. He was there to open it for me, remove my license plate and watch. Still don't know why he needed to monitor me. I cleared out the obvious areas.....glove compartment, small storage areas in the middle console, change drawer, etc.... I pulled back the seats and collected my hubsand's golf balls, some pens and old receipts. In the back seat, I found a small car and some lollipop sticks....for all those times I was trying to get the kids to be quiet.
When I was done, I went back up to the front seat and I sat there. I know the kid was secretly saying "Hurry up lady! I don't have time for this sappy bs." But I didn't care. I wrapped my hands around the steering wheel one last time, and I closed my eyes.....briefly. I wanted to remember everything I could about that car.....the feel of it....the smells...
I received it as a gift from my parents during my last year of college, I dated my husband when I had it, Pig (our dog) rode in the front seat all buckled in when I did errands, and we took Little A around in it when he was a newborn.
There was a small red stain on the front passenger seat floor after Big A spilled Mountain Dew Code Red in our earlier days. I remember being SO incredibly mad at him because no matter how much seltzer and cleaning we did, we just couldnt get the red out.
There was lipgloss and lipstick on the ceiling area above the driver's seat for all those times I ran through a yellow light, kissed my fingers and then tapped the ceiling for good luck and safety.
I was in tears when I sat there. But luckily it was so darn hot that I could easily pass off my tears as sweat. I put my head down on the steering wheel and remembered all the kick-ass things I added to pimp my car out. My BFF gave me some dice and I remember hanging them from my rear-view mirror. I rememebered the Hawaiian seats covers that I bought at a Swap Meet, but then later removed them because the side-airbags were trapped.
I seriously loved that car. So many great memories.
I asked the kid there if he would take a picture of me one last time in my car. Here it is:
R.I.P. Honda Civic. I will miss you.
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