Cherry Ride
I will be the first to admit that I don’t know the first thing about cars. I know how to drive one but that’s about it. Well, for the past 4.5 years I have owned a car that I have literally beat the shit out of. I drive a 1997 Chevy Cavalier. Oh yes, I said a Cavalier. This car has been through hell and back with me with flood waters, icy patches and snow storms. I love my car but sadly it is reaching it’s end. The process started slow with a battery issue but it’s beginning to snowball. It’s kindof like my car is entering into an assisted living situation. It has leaks, the breaks are going bad and when it’s cold outside it takes about 10 minutes to get it to start. I had my first flat tire last month and that is when I knew that the car was about ready to give up. I know that people get flat tires all the time but not my car. This is some kind of super car. Just last week when I was on my way home from work, I was sitting at a stoplight and my radio decided to turn on and off repeatedly. I thought that Rihanna had a remix because my car never did that before. The best is that everytime you turn my car on my stereo says “hello” and when you turn it off it says “see ya”. Well, it was saying “hello” and “see ya” about ten times in a row until I could get the car moving again.Also, about six months ago I was visiting my friend at law school about five hours away and being the nice friend that I am I stopped at her parent’s house and picked up some home-cooked meals. Needless to say the food didn’t quite make it in one piece by the time I got to Ohio. The beef stew in my backseat leaked all over the interior and to this day when I have my heater on it reeks of rotten beef stew. Although, the best thing about my heater/AC is that it only works on full blast. The first three levels don’t work anymore. So, you either freeze your ass off or feel like you’re in the bowels of hell. It’s fun. Haha.
I just feel bad about my car because we’ve been through so much together. I helped move my sister to Maryland in that car. I drove to various jobs through flood waters and icy roads. I drove through a goddamn ice storm on the PA turnpike just to visit my sister. I’ve been to Ohio and West Virgina in that car. I drove to and from Oakland everyday in that car. That city driving is what killed it. Oakland is one of the worst places to drive because of all the hills and pedestrians. I can’t tell you how many times I almost ran someone over because they felt like darting in front of me when I had a green-light. I was the first out of all my friends to have my own car too. That’s huge when you’re 17 and you have your own wheels. Too bad it was a coupe. It sucked for whoever had to sit in the back.
I feel bad about my car. It’s going to be hard to give it up but I don’t have the money to get everything fixed so it can pass inspection. My cavalier had an excellent run…. 101,547 miles and going…. :)
