Out With A Bang
Thursday, August 2nd, 2007
For the first time since I was 16, I have no car to drive. But, living in the bitch ass city (see previous post), this recent development is actually a blessing most of the time.
So, you ask, why no car of a sudden? Perhaps Ferris Bueller put it best when he told Cameron, “You killed the car.”
That’s right; I went out in a blaze of glory. I didn’t get into an accident. I didn’t even encounter minor or moderate car trouble. I literally killed the car. We’re talking the works here.
Going 70 in the left lane on I-94 one Saturday afternoon, my engine block cracked (I was later told) and destroyed the bottom of the car. When it happened, the car shuddered uncontrollably. And as I looked in the shaking rearview mirror, I was horrified to see pieces of the car flying out from underneath, hitting the car behind me. And then there was smoke pouring out of the front and and the engine died. I managed to get to the side of the road; the wrong side of the road no less, but I caused no accident.
All of this happened in under a minute. I’m a wuss, so I don’t care to admit that it was scary. I hadn’t even had the time to think about what to do. I just did. And then I cried. And called Kit. Who came to my rescue. The car; however, would not be.
It now sits somewhere out there in a cold, dark junk yard, while I sit and wait for the bus, the train, and my begrudging boyfriend to give me a ride.
No more will I drive along the lake past the North Shore mansions and estates in the early morning sunlight on my way to work. No more will I bob and weave around traffic on the city streets, or parallel park without even a glance behind me. It is as though my wings have been clipped.
At least I providentially nailed that parking cone while I still had the chance…
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