Goodbye (a Eugoogooly)

On Saturday, December 28, Hoopty's transmission blew out. Because I cannot afford the $1,200 or more (probably more) to replace it, this makes Hoopty officially dead. Those precious few close to Hoopty (ok, mainly me), knew him as a good car with a good heart. (Engine?) He may not have been the prettiest car, and he may not have been the most reliable car, but he was a good car. Yes, he had rust spots that were nearly a decade old, and yes, his passenger side door didn't work, and yes I had to use two keys (one for the doors and one to start him), and yes, he would often leave me stranded in random places because he wouldn't start reliably, but he was still a good car. He lasted about 3 and 1/2 years, much longer than I thought he would. And during that time, when he wasn't in the shop, he was a (somewhat) reliable method of transportation, and a damn good car. He was more than a car, he was my escape route, my one way to freedom. I didn't have to beg for rides, or rely on other people to get where I needed to be, and I could go anywhere I wanted to provided I could afford the gas (or car repairs). Hoopty may have been a jalopy, a clunker, a beater, a piece of shit, (and yes a hoopty), but he was my piece of shit, damn it! From my 16th birthday until now, Hoopty has always been there. Now that he's gone, I miss more than my mobility, I miss Hoopty. So goodbye, old friend, may "flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."

This post is dedicated to Hoopty (1990-2007). He lived a long, fulfilling life.