US Journal
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
4TYEARS!
When I returned from shopping at the Marietta Square
Farmers’ Market on Saturday, I smiled as I turned the corner going to where I
had parked Thelma, Peter’s silver 2005 Porsche 911. A family was getting out of
their van close by (not close enough to touch, scratch, dent, etc., Peter…not
to worry!), and the 13-year-old boy was enjoying checking out Thelma. As I
approached, he moved to her front and backed away a little as if to take an
admiring permanent picture in his mind. Then, he went all the way around the
car, said something to his dad that made him smile and shake his head up and
down, and was trying to look inside as I got close enough to speak to him.
“You’re the one we’ve been looking for! You know, it’s for sale!
You want it? My husband was your age when he started wanting a Porsche, and it
took him 40 years to actually buy one. Did you see the license plate?”
4TYEARS
The young man looked at me and laughed in understanding. His
dad quipped, “I’m surprised he lets you drive it!”
I understood his meaning…actually I hadn’t driven her in 3
years - since the deer came out of the forest and ran along beside me as I
sweated bullets driving Thelma for the first time. When the deer ran back into
the forest, Thelma unharmed, I stopped the car and got out. Peter’s been
driving her ever since. But, now we are letting our son Nick use our second car
for the summer, and Peter has gotten tired of taxiing me everywhere, so he
suggested that I just drive Thelma when I needed to go somewhere.
Back at the parking garage, I said to the young man, “Be
patient and save your money. If it’s important enough to you, you will end up
with one, just like Peter did. Now, he’s selling it because we have a plan for
our future that would include leaving her behind for long periods of time. We
don’t want her to sit by herself, unused. It’s not good for that car not to be
driven regularly.”
I really wanted to offer the young man a short ride in
Thelma, but I didn’t know him or his parents, and I didn’t want them to feel
uncomfortable. As I started to drive away, I revved the engine so the young man
could hear that sound and put it in his memory with his mental picture. I
watched him in my rear view mirror with satisfaction, as he clapped for Thelma.
It made me wonder if, in 40 years or so, he might be driving around a “Thelma,”
too!
Thanks for all the fun we’ve had together, Thelma! You’re
the best!
Colleen
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