Monday, May 30, 2011

Dear Almost All Teenage Girls,

Is there really a need to make a funny face, stick your tongue out or pucker your lips in every. single. picture? I'd like to see your real smile! I've seen it before and it's nice! I prefer it to the contorted expression you insist upon.
Sincerely,
Jenn
PS It's also okay to look directly at the camera. Who's ever off to the side making you smirk like that can wait.

Livin' The Dream

1997 was the year my little Sunfire was born. Back then, the 14 year old me, thought nothing was cooler, sleeker or awesomer than the new two-door, Pontiac Sunfire. Especially those teal ones I'd seen driving around town! How lucky were those people! It was my dream car. Maybe, if I played my cards right, I could own one of those beautiful cars one day.

Fast forward 10 years.

The 24 year old me had never owned a car. But when my job required that I have a job, my dad knew a guy(as dad's often do) that had an available car. All I knew was that it was cheap. Excellent. All I was really looking for at that point. My dad and I drove to the shop, walked in and when we turned the corner, I couldn't believe my eyes. A teal, two-door, 1997 Pontiac Sunfire. It was happening. After all these years, I was getting my dream car. Sure it had a dent on the side, over 170,000 km's and it looked like someone had taken a baseball bat to the windshield-I was in love. I drove it back home and began looking on baby name websites to find the perfect name for my lovely car(true story)!

Fast forward 4 years.

After a rough few months, Elaine, or Laney, has decided to take a break from driving me around. And so she sits outside my house, patiently waiting for me to have the funds to make her feel like cruising our city streets. After another few months, a lonely Laney gets taken to the shop to get fixed up! She was there only 2 days, but as I walked from the bus stop to the auto shop, I had butterflies. As if I were about to be reunited with a long lost friend. My eyes scanned the parking lot and landed on my perfectly imperfect car. I am so excited to drive I actually squeal a little.

Fast forward 4 days.

I haven't driven for almost three months and during that time, I think I romanticized Laney's abilities. It didn't matter that she was 14 years old, now had over 250,000 km's under her belt and rust damage. All she needed was some clutch fluid and it'll be like she came right off the lot! It took me four days for that to wear off. Now, I'm realizing that I need to come to grips with the fact that Laney won't be with me forever. She may not even last the year. So I'm cherishing every second I get to drive around on a sunny day(after I crank the manual windows down) or cruise down the highway late at night(intermittently turning on and off the heat to reach the perfect temperature because it only works on full blast).

There have been some ups and downs in our relationship but I have loved my car from the start. And when that day comes that I have to say goodbye, I'll take solace in the fact that for a short time in my life, I was lucky enough to drive that 1997 teal Sunfire. I was livin' the dream.