Accura

I have felt a half step behind myself today. I keep trying to catch up, but the closest I can come to myself is that damned half step. You may not quite understand what I am saying, but that’s most likely because I am a half step behind the explanation as well.

I just said goodbye to an old friend. I wasn’t ready to see him go and I will miss him. I guess everything has to end, some end in the fullness of time and some leave before they should. My friend left before his time. I knew he was going today, and that might be why I have been half a step behind. They just took him away fifteen minutes ago. I couldn’t bear to watch and yet I caught a last glimpse out of the corner of my eye as they drove away.

We have been together for close to fourteen years and there hasn’t been a day I haven’t at least seen him in the distance or thought of him. He had to go; you see I have replaced him with a newer and better model. I will miss my Accura, but the shiny, new vehicle needs the room in the garage. I spent yesterday cleaning and polishing to show him at his best to the people who became his new owner today.

I have a feeling that the new owner (Peter) is going to sell the Accura for a profit. Peter doesn’t have history or know all the little ins and outs that endear a vehicle to a long term owner. I wouldn’t have felt right squeezing every last cent out of an old friend. I am happy with the deal and Peter is happy as well, for different reasons I suppose.

The Accura was beginning to show his age. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving the city and any long trip was out of the question. Last fall, he sprang a leak in his radiator while I was picking up Hurricane and Tornado; they thought it was pretty cool how my car was “peeing” in the garage. Instead of replacing the rad, I put a can of radiator sealant in which stopped the leak. Temporarily.

Every now and then there would be a disturbing CLUNK when I turned a corner and hit a pothole or speed bump. I don’t know what it was, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t anything good. Maybe the old Accura needed a new set of shocks. Just a few days ago, Arwen borrowed the Accura and asked me what was wrong with the brakes. `Wrong with the brakes!?!?! What are you talking about? You know I need to sell this car, don’t mess with me.” I had suspected the brakes could do with someone to look at them in the near future.

I have never been a believer in frequent oil changes. Yes, I know that goes against popular belief, but over the years no one has ever proved to me that clean, clear and thin oil is the best. I figure that the thicker the oil, the better. It’s concentrated. I had a mechanic tell me that I should change the oil every six months or 5000 Ks. He said old oil is why I had a four hundred dollar repair bill. I asked how much an oil change was and he said about $50. It had been four and a half years since I changed the oil, so to my way of thinking I saved fifty bucks.

The air conditioner needs to be recharged and the heater fan makes some very strange and disturbing sounds when turned up to max. Peter mentioned something about a timing belt and I wouldn’t be surprised if it did need to be replaced. I suspect that the Accura was going to start costing money on a regular basis. That crack in the windshield is only going to get larger.

No, I think it was time for us to part company, before I started to resent my friend. You know, I am starting to catch up with myself, just ¼ step behind now.