Hope's Corner: Driving Ms. Jackie

So, I did a thing. I bought a new car.

This is, like, a big deal. I have not owned that many cars in my life. And this is only the third car I have ever purchased. I get a whole lot of good out of my vehicles. And I keep them for years. And years.

My first car was a gift from my mom. She was a little avocado green Rambler Classic. Oh, how I loved that car. She could navigate snow like a pro. I named her Josephine, and Josephine and I had epic adventures.

Josephine’s gas gauge finally stopped working. I would guess-timate her approximate fullness while commuting to grad school in Springfield, IL. And that is how, one summer morning shortly after sunrise, I found myself hiking south on Route 66 in search of a gas station. I was picked up by a Wonder Bread truck. There I sat, balancing on a large stack of hamburger bun trays, living the good life on the Mother Road.

When the family moved to North Dakota, my dad sold Josephine and gave me the family Ford Ltd. That car I purely hated. Parallel parking was akin to parking a city bus. I began scheming for a car of my very own choosing.

My chance came when my dad wanted to get rid of his muscle car. Who, in their right minds, gets rid of a red Chevelle Malibu muscle car? I bought it outright from Dad for a whopping $1000.00, and felt like the coolest kid in town. Well, at least I had the coolest car.

I drove Sebastian Chevrolet for years. And years. Finally, Mom bought me another practical car, a 2000 Buick. But I hung onto Sebastian because, hey, red muscle car.

By 2020 I thought it might be time to trade in Sebastian. He was 47 years old.

Now, for years I had asked my beloved husband for a pet chicken. Every spring I pleaded my case. Spring 2020 rolled around, and instead of asking for a chicken, I bought a red Corvette convertible. Traded in the red Chevelle, and got a cool thousand for him. It was meant to be.

After only 24 years, I realized I probably needed another practical car. Buster Buick had 120,000 miles on him, and he was showing his age. Just a little.

Left to make the car choice on my own, I chose yet another red Chevy. This time she is a Chevy Blazer who is way smarter than me. My sweet Charlotte named her Elizabeth. I have been told the car looks like me. Bright red, kinda short, and a little broad in the back end.

I’ve purchased three cars all on my own in my lifetime. Each has been a bright red Chevy. You might say I am on a roll.

I still, however, don’t have a pet chicken. Thinking of a little red hen.