I Got A Car

I have a computer now (have had it for some time, in fact) but we don't have WiFi at home so I usually end up writing blogs in my bedroom and forgetting about them for some time before posting. This one is from March 28, 2011.)

I got a car! I got a car! I got a car! I got a car and named him Johann! He is a navy blue 2002 VW Jetta. When I started looking for a car, my folks insisted that I go to their mechanic Ali who often buys cars, fixes them up, and then sells them. They’ve been doing business with Ali for about eight years and he’s helped them through about three vehicles now in addition to looking after my brother Drew’s Jeep. So, naturally, he’s got a good relationship with my folks.

We went up last week and he had one car in his lot ready to sell. It was a ’97 Mitsubishi somethinernuther. It was in my price range and I was assured that it would get me to and from work. It was okay but nothing that great. I sat in the driver seat, kicked a tire, and looked under the hood but that spark was definitely not there.

Ali’s assistant said that he had a couple other cars that they were working on but neither would be ready for a few days. One was a Suzuki whose price he wasn’t sure of and the other was a VW they’d just gotten but he was almost certain it was out of my price range. With Dad’s blessing, I asked to look at the VW anyway since I’ve always liked them. Hell, it doesn’t hurt to look, right?

They brought around this little blue Jetta with a busted rearview mirror, a glove compartment that didn’t close, dirty upholstery and about a pound of tree pollen covering its body. I fell in love immediately. I sank into its driver seat, held the wheel, and let out a long, contented sigh. And then they said it was about $1500 more than what I had set aside for my car budget. Well, damn. I hemmed and hawed. I shuffled my feet. I talked with my bank, scrounged up about $550 more, and still pouted some more because, well, damn it, I wanted that car. My Dad and I discussed the options over the next few days. I could settle for another car or I could get the car off the lot and let it sit in the driveway until I could afford the insurance premium and tabs.  I opted to get the car and let it sit.

Dad called me to the table after Elijah went to bed and asked about this plan. See, he’s going to Gulfport with my Mom at the end of April and he wanted me to have my own wheels by then and the Jetta was a much better car than anything in my range. So, he offered to loan me the rest of the money to get the car. I have not slept well since then because I’ve been so excited.

We drove Johann off the lot this afternoon. Our first stop was to the car wash. Then, we cruised around, ran some errands, and bought some stuff to clean Johann up a bit. Now, my pretty blue boy is sitting in the driveway and I’m awake because I really want to go driving.