Java-licious

my beloved Java turned 10,000 miles old today. as we crossed that threshold together, I reflected on the past eight months and all the life changes that we've been through together since I first drove her home. I remember that cold night back in February when I accepted responsibility for her care and maintenance and drove through the city for the first time in the first car I've ever purchased. I smiled to myself and thought, "she's all mine".

Shortly after getting on the expressway, I noticed that something was wrong. Mother Nature was conjuring up something awful and putting motorists into perilous situations. The functionality of my German-engineered brakes had just been explained to me but, in my euphoric state, I had blocked much of the necessary information and was now struggling to remember the details. I pump the brakes or don't pump the brakes? Either way, they're not working right now. What the hell is going on? Please, God, don't let me wreck my car on my very first night with her!! 


I timidly passed cars with their hazard lights on that crept along the icy highway and fearfully drove by SUV's that had skidded off into ditches and I prayed. I had to make it to the Ford dealership before they closed to drop off the Fusion they'd let me take home for the weekend in a last-ditch effort to get me to buy it. Now, as I trailed behind it, I suddenly cared about getting it back in one piece whereas I hadn't cared much at all for it at all when the dealer had handed over the keys. I had gotten all high-and-mighty and scoffed at the fact that they didn't give me a full tank of gas when they'd tossed me the keys and tucked me into their pretty, blue car with all its bells and whistles. Now, I was worried about my own little winner as well as the little loser in front of me.

I made it just in time to catch the dealer and the snarky finance guy whose only mission in life was to rob me of my hard-earned money as they were just about to lock the doors. I handed them the keys and briefly explained that I'd decided on something that was "more me". The stunned looks on their faces could literally have frozen there that night but I didn't wait around to see if they got stuck like that.

My mother called just as I was nearing my destination and demanded that I stay wherever I was for the night. She explained that this sudden ice storm had caused numerous accidents and pile-ups around the area and the ER in the hospital where she worked was inundated with patients because of it. As I slid into the parking space, my brakes struggled a bit and caught just in time to avoid hitting the curb. I thanked God for seeing us safely to our journey's end.



Like any new puppy, kitten or piercing I've ever gotten, I decided she needed to be christened with the perfect name. I started thinking of a proper name for such an adorable car and finally came up with Java (on account of the fact that I had to give up drinking Starbucks coffee every morning just to afford her) just a few days after getting her safely home. We've been pretty much inseparable ever since.

Every trip is a journey and every mile is a milestone when you're driving your first new car. So, happy 10,000th mile Java! May you have 100,000 more.