Eulogy For A Jeep

Ah, we sustained one accident too many, Her Jeepness and I. Today I got the word that she has been declared a total loss and I went to see her one last time in order to remove my personal possessions and my tag. I almost didn't recognize her since she had been taken apart in order to determine her damages. Poor girl. Her death was not very dignified.

We've been together for 11 years and covered more than 158,000 miles together. And the experiences we had are numerous. We've been as far north as upstate New York, as far west as Ohio, as far east as Delaware and as far south as Florida. She has born the tags of three different states and transported 3 different family dogs. She also transported many Amish neighbors all over the southeastern Pennsylvania countryside and was my conveyance the night I hurriedly drove my Amish neighbor to the midwife just in time to deliver her baby, and we drove Papa, Mama and baby home again an hour later.

I was always meticulous with Her Jeepness' care. I religiously had her serviced every 3,000 miles and repaired whenever there was an incident. The first time was when an angry man in Baltimore keyed the back of her (while I was sitting in her with my son and his friends). Of course, there was the "big yellow taxi" incident and the time I rear ended that woman when she suddenly stopped in front of me and I had to replace the "bull bar."

I'll never forget the time my son was borrowing her and parked her on a bridge in one of the worst neighborhoods in Baltimore (in fact they filmed "The Wire" in this neighborhood) and someone unsuccessfully tried to steal her catalytic converter. She was a mess until we got her repaired.

I have filled her cargo area with everything from freshly picked cabbages straight from the field, art equipment for exhibits and boxes for numerous moves. And the sand she has carried has been plenty when my favorite place to visit was Cape Henlopen State Park.

Her Jeepness has served as the venue for many a moveable feast as I've consumed countless fast food meals, apples, ice cream cones and granola bars within her.

11 years is a long time and it's always hard to say good-bye to a good friend. But now it's time to move on. New automotive experiences await!