My First Car

Today I am linking up with Momma Kat and her writing workshop. Each week, she provides a list of writing prompts; you choose one, write about it, and link up!

I chose to write about my first (and only) car because it is honestly a pretty interesting story.
I think I need to provide some background info first.

Sometime before my freshman year, my grandpa gave my mom his old pick-up truck. About a month after getting my permit my sophomore year, my mom decided to trade in the truck for a new-er car, and goes to the dealership by herself. When my mom calls on her way home, she tells me she is driving a... MINI VAN. I thought she was joking- there was only two us (three with my grandpa) and this was the car I was going to pick up my friends in after I got my license? I almost cried when she pulled into the parking spot.

My senior year, things started to get a little more tough around the house, and eventually we lost the van. By this time, my friends affectionately called her 'Big Bessie.' She was the ultimate get-away-car during a light night t.p. session; I left the door open, and they all dove in as I drove by to pick them up (Don't tell my mom).

Right around the time that we lost the van, I got a second job. I had one day off a week, and I spent that time catching up on homework and sleep. We moved to a new house at the beginning of my senior year, which was 20 miles from school, and luckily a little closer to my jobs. I spent 2-3 hours on the bus a day.. depending on whether I had school and work, or worked both jobs. I know, taking a bus isn't that bad.. except when your 18 years old, taking AP classes in high school, working two jobs, and getting 4 hours of sleep a night. Sitting at the bus stop, I would envision my self in the cars driving by- to this day I am an expert at guessing what kind of car just by glancing at it.

After 5 months of taking the bus, my dad told me he found me a car- a 2001 hyundai sonata. I was so desperate at this point that I would have taken anything, but when I heard it was Pearl white and had a V6 engine, I was ecstatic.

There was only one problem- my dad, along with the car, was in New Mexico. I had no way, nor money, to get there.. except my favorite method of transportation, the bus. By some grace of God, my best friend offered to take the 8 hour bus ride in the middle of the night with me. It was a nightmare. We had to sit in the last row, where the seat backs were straight up, and no one, including the bus driver, spoke english. We missed our bus stop, because only one person got off, and the bus driver didn't understand our question, so my dad had to follow us to the next stop, right at the border of Mexico.

When I saw my car, I was in love. When I drove my car, I was head over heals. Although I wouldn't have considered her a sports car, she did have a V6, and she could go. So later that day, I sped back to AZ with my new car, my new TOM, and an old gun (a lovely semi-automatic 22 rifle) my dad promised me in the trunk. I was under the impression that my gun was supposed to my registered, so when I went through border patrol I almost had a heart attack until they waved us through, but I later found out I was fine.

I had pictures from the first day I drove my new car to school, but they are on an old computer. The only picture I have is this one, when my best friend and I were trying to fit her bike in my car so she could take it to college with her. We eventually took off the handle bars.

I have had a lot of interesting adventures with 'Pearl' (yes, I named my car) in the past three years. It is going to be hard to let her go, but with every mile she creeps to the 200,000 mark, I know I am getting closer to that day.

Do you have memories of your first car that will stay with you forever?