Daily Hits of Happy: May 25, 2020 - 255

Monday, May 25, 2020

May 25, 2020 - 255 - "One Car Woman?-Part I"

Car Timeline:
(Dates Are Approximate)

1972 - I am 7 years old and see a commercial for the Triumph Spitfire. From then on, I tell anyone who will listen: "I want a little red Spitfire."

1984 - I'm in college, need wheels, and get the cheapest thing available in the moment: a used Chevy Citation. It was gray. Pretty much the color of old, faded pavement. This was good because I had a full load of college classes and two jobs, and I was always late to something important. I drove very fast all of the time.

1987 - I was a college grad and got a real job and bought my first brand new real car. Naturally, I wanted to get a Triumph Spitfire...but there were only old ones. I knew from experience with past vehicles that I wanted something reliable. So I ended up buying a Mazda GLC.

The only nod to my dream car was that it was a very bright red.

That turned out to be a terrible idea. I'd never had a ticket in my life, then got three in less than a month. It is not an urban myth that red cars are more noticeable to the police. No one ever blinked an eye when I drove that old gray Citation 10-20 miles over the speed limit everywhere I went. But they sure noticed in that red car.

That's when I learned to drive the speed limit.

1989 - Mazda comes out with the Miata.

(Cue the symphonies! Cue the angel choirs! Cue the heart beating and the palms sweating...I was officially IN LOVE.)

I test drove that car and love, love, love, LOVED IT!

But I'd just bought a new car, and knew you lose a lot of money the minute you drive one off the lot. I am practical and said to myself: that little Miata will be my next car.

1992

I become a flight attendant and get based in New York City. I no longer need any car at all. I sell my GLC and buy subway tokens and airport shuttle tickets instead.

I truly loved having no car at all. No insurance. No maintenance. My total transportation costs were about what I'd been spending on gas alone.

1996

I moved back to Texas and commuted to New York to work. For a long time Michael drove me to the airport for my trips. Eventually, this became a problem and I started thinking of buying a car.

I wanted the Miata...but it's a two-seater, and Michael had two kids. I didn't drive them very often, but wanted to be able to when needed. Also, I had gotten used to no car payment and no insurance and I liked it. I didn't want the overhead.

I bought Motor Trend and Car and Driver magazines and hunted down the cheapest cars available with decent reviews. I eventually bought a white Plymouth Neon.

And I did love that car. It was cute. It was cheap. What's not to like?

Oh yeah...it was kind of a piece of crap. Still, I managed to get 9 years use out of it. By then I felt I could afford a real car again. Also, the kids were older and had cars of their own by this point.

That's when I began to say, to anyone who'd listen: Me Oughta Have a Miata!

2004

I'd heard that people who buy convertibles tend to sell them quickly. They soon realize that they can be pretty impractical. (They can't haul much in them, can only have one passenger, etc. )

I was still leery of getting a red car, not wanting to become a police magnet again. But I didn't see any other colors I liked.

Then one day, I saw this blue one.

It was the world's prettiest, most perfect car. The blue was a deep midnight blue. You could almost dive into that paint job, and it had this gorgeous, but subtle, metallic glint.

I loved every stinkin' thing about that car!

With the help of my company's credit union, I negotiated a smokin' deal on it and happily drove off into the sunset.

...and me and my car lived happily ever after.

The Beginning.

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