Last night I was witness to a break-up. It was amicable, but he was so sick to part with her. He admitted being neglectful and not “spending enough time with her.” She showed in on her face. He admitted she was a good one; dependable, sometimes temperamental, but if you talked to her, she usually came around and did what you needed her to do. I stood watching, seeing the sadness in his eyes, watching him walk around her, touch her, shake his head. When I asked him would he cry, he replied that he already had. She was his baby. They’d been together so long, through thick and thin. So the departure was bitter sweet. After a few instructions and one last look, he dropped the keys of the ‘73 Caprice Classic over to its new owner.
She wouldn’t leave at first. Felt his pull as she backed away from him. Stalled and stopped. Tried again. Rocked forward, and then backed away again. Finally, after a few failed attempts, she eased out of his life. Pulled off and left. He watched her as she left, sickened by the thought of not having her by his side. Then he got a call from the new owner. She was acting up. He chuckled to himself, knowing her habits. He was kind of glad she didn’t go so easily. After all the years they’d been together you’d think she should have some hesitation. Driving in his car on the way to talk to her, he reminisced on all the sweet memories they’d made together. All the rides they took; the entire road they had covered. She’d been there, graceful and steady, just glad to be there. The last two years, life just seemed to slip away from him, no time to spend with her. Other things were more important, demanded his time and attention. And now, she was gone.
Pulling up to where she sat, he jumped out to coax her into submission. She was a stubborn thing and this time took her sweet time getting right. But when she did, he heard the magic words “you want to drive her?” Do you have to ask his reply?
Exhilarated as they eased onto the near empty expressway, windows down, he could feel goose bumps as she glided forward, unrestrained, unbridled, soaring over the pavement. It was as if they had never been apart. Fourty more minutes of just them, silently accepting the parting of their ways, until they came to rest at her new resting place. They fell silent as they sat, waiting to let go. He whispered to her softly “I don’t want to see you no more. I couldn’t bear seeing you with another man.” She responded in silence. She understood.
And that was that.
He returned home.
She stayed in her new home.
Break ups are the hardest
And who knew love could be so strong between a man and his old car.
I thought about them this morning when i woke up. What comes to mind is Carl Thomas' song "I Wish" and its chorus:
And I wish I never met her at all
Even though I love her so
She got love from me
But she still belongs to someone else
In time, he'll be fine. But it just ain't easy.
She wouldn’t leave at first. Felt his pull as she backed away from him. Stalled and stopped. Tried again. Rocked forward, and then backed away again. Finally, after a few failed attempts, she eased out of his life. Pulled off and left. He watched her as she left, sickened by the thought of not having her by his side. Then he got a call from the new owner. She was acting up. He chuckled to himself, knowing her habits. He was kind of glad she didn’t go so easily. After all the years they’d been together you’d think she should have some hesitation. Driving in his car on the way to talk to her, he reminisced on all the sweet memories they’d made together. All the rides they took; the entire road they had covered. She’d been there, graceful and steady, just glad to be there. The last two years, life just seemed to slip away from him, no time to spend with her. Other things were more important, demanded his time and attention. And now, she was gone.
Pulling up to where she sat, he jumped out to coax her into submission. She was a stubborn thing and this time took her sweet time getting right. But when she did, he heard the magic words “you want to drive her?” Do you have to ask his reply?
Exhilarated as they eased onto the near empty expressway, windows down, he could feel goose bumps as she glided forward, unrestrained, unbridled, soaring over the pavement. It was as if they had never been apart. Fourty more minutes of just them, silently accepting the parting of their ways, until they came to rest at her new resting place. They fell silent as they sat, waiting to let go. He whispered to her softly “I don’t want to see you no more. I couldn’t bear seeing you with another man.” She responded in silence. She understood.
And that was that.
He returned home.
She stayed in her new home.
Break ups are the hardest
And who knew love could be so strong between a man and his old car.
I thought about them this morning when i woke up. What comes to mind is Carl Thomas' song "I Wish" and its chorus:
And I wish I never met her at all
Even though I love her so
She got love from me
But she still belongs to someone else
In time, he'll be fine. But it just ain't easy.
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