Must say I'm pretty proud of it too. How can I not be? It's not new, it's not fabulous but it's mine. It's like a five-year-old being proud of the Coolest Rock In the World that they bring home to Mom.... it's the Coolest Rock to that kid, anyway.
Also, I want to say that I'm particularly proud of the fact that I have not owned a car before this, the ripe old age of 20, nearly 21. Maybe that's not saying much for some people, but for many of my friends, it's rather old. I mean, it makes sense for me: growing up, my family lived close to all of our schools, so I walked or rode my bike. Or I hitched a ride from a neighbor. Okay, so I've been attending college out-of-state for the last three years and still haven't bought a car, but really the only times I've really wanted one was just to get home and back. Or get groceries, because I've tried the 3 boxes of cereal in my backpack and balancing two bags off each bike handle before, and that was--um, interestingly inefficient. But once in my college town, it's been more than fine geting around: via feet (on campus), bike (off campus), bus (across town) or in a friend's car (out of town). It's worked out very well, I'd say, and I haven't had to pay insurance for all of that time. Anyway, it's been fine without and I've been proud to be without one for as long as I have. So there.
But now, I own one (well, it's considered mine, anyway) and that's good too. Because my parents are sick of driving me and my stuff back to college, and I'm excited to be able to drive out of town or even out of state to visit friends once at college, should I choose. I am so gonna rock that nearly-ghetto car.
By the way, this Oldsmobile is a 1988. Which means I need to make a truce with the 80's. If you know me very well, you'll know that I am not, in fact, a fan of the 80's. At all. Like, what were people thinking? The hair, the clothes, much of the music?? Honestly. But half-outraged but patient friends have subjected me to enough hit songs from that decade that I can't be totally opposed anymore. Nor can I forget that I was conceived and born in that decade. Plus I have these totally rad black lace fingerless gloves, a la Madonna, that I truly adore, and now that I own this car from that somewhat-odd era... it's a truce, okay, Eighties? You've done something decent for the world, I suppose. (Side note: Politics are completely left out of these comments; I direct my complaints to the American world of fashion, entertainment and culture of the time.)
So I'm feeling this car is a start of something new, as the last year of my college education approaches, as I just added a few texts to my cell phone plan (though I'm still not crazy about texting, strange as it may sound to readers of my generation) and as I approach my final step into adulthood, turning 21 this month. No, having a car doesn't mean I'm about to turn into Material Girl or anything... but hey, maybe a truce with the past will progress me toward the future.
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