It’s a new day, I keep telling myself. And today a very kind older gentleman, probably close to 80 years old, is giving me a ride to the Burning Uke campout in Big Sur. I have become completely and utterly hooked on playing my ukulele and singing with the most awesome groups of people ever – it gives me great joy. And, I’d been looking forward to this Burning Uke campout for a couple of months now – even took days off work. I couldn’t imagine anything more amazing that being by the beach for several days with a group of fun, like-minded people who just want to play uke and sing or play whatever instruments they have, or just sing…there will be jams and workshops and well, all kinds of things.
Today is a new day, and I’m not going to let losing my car get to me. Late yesterday afternoon, a claims adjustor called from the insurance company my car is insured with and informed me that it would cost $8,000 to $10,000 to fix my car and they have to declare it a total loss. I never thought I would cry over a lost car, but I did…my wonderful car that took me and my kids and friends on the most wonderful adventures, the Beatles mobile…the best car I’d ever had. Now she will go to car heaven and long may she rest…
And I realized that what car I had kind of determined where I was in my life always and forever…it was part of who I am and now I’m entering a whole new phase. I cried softly at my desk hoping no one at work would notice my pain. I felt like an idiot because it wasn’t like anything happened to one of my kids…it was, as my son Jeremy told me to give me solace, after all, only a car.
“You’ll find another one, Mom. You wait and see.”
Yes, yes, I will…I guess. So as I take off on this journey to Big Sur, the insurance company is determining how much they will pay me for my car – and I get to decide the next course of action. Meanwhile, I remain without a car – perhaps renting a car next week to get me by… all it took was a split second, someone bashing into my car, to change the course of my life. And, I take solace in knowing that it could be so much worse and I still get to go to the Burning Uke campout because this wonderful guy who is at least as old as my Dad, if not older, who sings in a wonderful low voice and who kindly offered to lend me sleeping bag and mattress pads and is more than happy to have him ride with him all the way to Big Sur because he would’ve gone down there alone, is taking me on a huge adventure…
It’s a new day…new beginnings.
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I think you have the worst luck in the world! And then, sometimes, these moments of grace - like the elderly man driving you, like your son trying to console you. This piece has such a nice tone. btw, I also loved the piece about trying to cash the check - especially when you recognize how much those little girls needed those hair ties. Just lovely - and I couldn't get it out of my head.
ReplyDeleteI feel your loss! I almost lost my lovely Chevy Equinox last year. I was out of cash, so I didn't know how in the world my car would survive. I had some payday advances before, but I had to spend 'em on my projects. When the car repair guy told me that they're not gonna do something about it unless I show 'em some cash, that's when I realized I needed to consider loans. I knew it was all worth it when my Chevy got fixed. So, what's your new car now?
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