I’ve always enjoyed driving. Sometimes I’ve favored some of my vehicles more than others. Actually I have even liked the same vehicle less or more depending upon the day and the current issue.
I’ve really never got attached to a car. I hear about people that do and honestly I’ve sort of rolled my eyes to that. I mean, a car, really?!
I can understand being attached to an animal, like your dog or cat, that makes sense.
But how could anyone get attached to a huge chunk of metal?
Or so I thought…..
Then this little lady entered my life. This is my 2013 Ford Escape. This photo sort of exemplifies her story. It was taken at the ball field, on one of her many trips there. She had a little mechanical issue, and Ken needed her raised up a bit to get underneath. So, she climbed right up that curb and sat there for him to get her back on the road.
We purchased my Escape back in 2013, from Jarrett Gordon Ford in Davenport Florida. We went to see our favorite salesman Dave Hoffman (Sadly he since passed away, way too young). Dave knew the Escape would fit what I was looking for.
Due to my height, it’s best for me to have electronic seats. I can raise higher and just all around see better. This Escape had electric seats.
Something that wasn’t a necessity and I actually thought was hilarious and a waste, was heated seats! Yes, seriously, heated seats in Florida! Why?!
Yes, you are reading that right. 100 degrees at 5:22pm.
What is hysterical is how much I ended up utilizing those heated seats! They were amazing on a chilly morning, or evening during the winter. Whenever I drove to Michigan or other wintery states, I was super thankful that I had them!
Another must was a flat trunk. See, when we purchased the car – we were team parents for baseball and needed to load a cooler full of water for tournaments. Trying to lift a cooler over the rim and down into or up out of the trunk was not ideal for me. The Escape’s back hatch opened to a flat trunk that we could load to the ceiling! (And many times we did!)
Over the years, I spent a lot of time in that Escape. Some of those times were so funny, like when I went the wrong way; slammed on the breaks and everything from the back came forward….. including a cd that hit Shane in the head! (The one liners from that still surface periodically.)
There were times that I cried and cried in that driver’s seat. I prayed in that driver’s seat. I screamed in that driver’s seat. I prayed and I worshiped in that driver’s seat. I chased my dreams in that driver’s seat.
And sometimes I was a passenger. Michael drove it as he learned to drive. Even my
Mom drove the Escape before she gave up her license.
Over time, this chunk of metal became more to me.
She became a friend. Not always super trustworthy on getting me from point A to point B, but she always stayed tires down and roof up.
I began to catch myself referring to my Escape as a female. Some people name their vehicles, I never have. Still didn’t, not even with her.
I would tell people that she and I were going to 300,000 miles together.
This is my last mileage photo. She actually made it to 187,000 miles with me.
I learned that even though I believed we would go to 300,000 miles together, I had never consulted her.
It just wasn’t in the cards for us.
She got mom and I safely home one evening, then the next day she got me to my massage therapy appt, limping along and struggling to move (the car – not I this time!).
Then we fought our way down a couple of miles so that I could grab groceries while waiting for her tow.
Here she is… sitting elegantly… for her last trip home.
Ken and I discussed it, and even though someone may be able to repair her, it wasn’t going to be us. We made the decision to sell her.
I cried and cried.
Somehow that hunk of metal had worked her way into my heart. All that we had been through together had created feelings. She represented sort of a journal of my life spread over those miles and moments.
Now she was gone.
Have you ever been attached to an object?
Were you surprised to learn that you were?
Time to move on, Amy
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Photo credit:
Car w/ ❤️ – Bruno Kelzer
Unsplash.com
Escape & mileage photos – me