Transportation

photo credit: Cheryl Dolby

In 1955, my dad was working the graveyard shift at the St. Petersburg Times as an obituary writer. He couldn't chauffeur Moi around to the various activities so necessary to high schoolers. It was time to buy a car. There were two requirements as I saw it. It had to be the right color (green) and it had to be the smallest car on the road. Fortunately, that was the year that the little green and white Nash Metropolitan hit the dealership in St. Pete. It was perfect. I named her Eileen. I discovered the world of bumperstickers and duly adorned her. Gas at the Pure station was 28 cents and my friends chipped in on our adventures. My mother became partial to road trips, the most memorable of which was crossing the Everglades in the blistering heat with no air conditioning and no windows lowered b/c of the swarms of mosquitoes. We made it through on our sense of humor and her stash of fudge. In Louisiana, there was the little red Renault. When the California years began, I decided to "step lightly on the Earth" and quit driving. There were other factors such as a tight budget but mainly, I felt the need to prove the merits of public transportation. And prove it I did. Then in 1988, after my mother came to live with us in North Carolina, it was time for another purchase. Providentially, (of course!) the Subaru Justy made an appearance in Boone. It was white; I named her Clara. Upon moving to Durham, I painted a poem on her in Carolina Blue and the addition of bumperstickers escalated. I bought a tag which read O TERRA for the environment and for the line from the opera, Aida. When Clara began to falter, I donated her to the American Cancer Society which valued her parts at $1700. I was pleased she was appreciated and little Henry waved goodbye as the towing truck disappeared into the distance. That year, Douglas had a Geo Metro, green, which we named Esme for Esmeralda. When he died, she became mine. She was the grandest of helpers hauling my goods up to Roanoke, Virginia. She needed a new plate and I chose ALL 2 U with a star design which indicated she supported the effort to end domestic violence. When I was leaving for a return to California, I looked around for just the right people to give her to. I wanted something or someone symbolic that related in some way to Douglas. I knew I had found the right choice when I met Jim Galloway and his wife, Rose. Jim had sung opera in New York. Douglas had sung opera and had lived in New York. Being of Scottish descent, he had found a rose ring for me instead of a jeweled engagement ring. Opera and Rose. Bravo! I haven't had a car since. I was delighted to see a photo on Jim's sister's blog, http://www.healingwoman.blogspot.com/ and with her permission I share it with you. Rose, on the left and I in the center and Mr. Hullabullah on the right. Jim was also involved in the Low Budget Comedy Hour on local tv so I felt I was getting an autograph with this picture. Don't we all look happy?! Esme is beaming! She's letting the warmth in with the red sun shield absorbing the light. The bumperstickers are on the back and my favorite simply said, "Peace" in olde English lettering. I hear she's still a fan of the Blue Ridge and tunes float from the radio.
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.....may the blessings of ways to go places and places you want to go be yours....