Arkie

I got big news on the 4th of July, delivered nonchalantly by my brother. "We want to give you our car" (for the record, I love that his pronouns have become increasingly plural ever since Stephanie. We. Our. Isn't it beautiful?)

I couldn't believe it. In the back of my mind it has been a possibility ever since they got the car, but it was an entirely different thing to hear the words. And to really think about having a personal mode of transportation in Vegas. Okay, FredVegas. Oh, the spontaneity! Hello, D.C.! I could wet my pants thinking of the Wacky Wednesday getaways and sweet escapes with my own wittle babies. I could have a job and thus have more to give. And have so much less frustration in that area-- I like gifts and cards and covering checks and feel so burdened when I can't do these things. Income would help tremendously. And delight of all delights, I could drive myself and others to church. I could go on off days to plan and meet. I could go to the store to get things for a lesson. Oh the places I could go!

What an answer to prayer wrapped up in seeming coincidence (and the frame of a really old Pontiac).

Our next door neighbors mom died this year on mother's day (may she rest in peace). In her will, she left her car to our neighbor, leaving them with an extra car. This car has been so well maintained and our neighbors have been the sole owners of it. It may be old, with a cracked windshield and a below average ability to condition the air, but it is a good car. So when our neighbors asked Luke if he wanted to buy it from them for 700 dollars? What a yes.

See, we have this game in the Smith family called Car Shuffle. Where you never know which car you'll end up driving on any given day. Could be the highlander. Probably not the Passat, that's Dad's car no matter what. I personally love to drive Steph's car. I would drive my car but it is, um, nonexistent (quote from the Ladies' man). Luke's has been nonexistent as well. Until he got the Sunfire. And then, a few weeks ago, Luke got a job at the Bryant Police Department, who will give him a take home squad car. What a yes.

Since Luke will have the police car, the Sunfire becomes a little less necessary in the Smith family parking lot. And a little more available for use in FredVegas. Luke and Stephanie had a lot of options to consider regarding the future of their 700 dollar baby. It is almost certainly more valuable than that, given that it runs. There are other members of their family that probably could have used the car. I am under no sort of illusion to think that this gift was a given.

But can you tell that I am so excited it was given to me? And on my favorite holiday, no less!

So excited and yet, it may not happen. I know, now that I've built up a post about how happy I am to once again be the owner of a car, I'm saying it probably wont work.

Because of a tree.

Yes, this weekend we had some rain. Not like drowsy, depressing rain. Like monsoon, fun, play in it, pouring rain. Powerful as all get out. As it so happened, one of the Bryant squad cars was parked under a tree that broke under the pressure. And fell on top of the car. So the department is down one car. And being new, Luke is far from first on the priority list of officers needing a car. Without it, Luke needs a way to get to work. That way will be his trusty 700 dollar baby. So the Sunfire is once again necessary for the Smith family parking lot. And I'm back to trusting God and others for transportation 1000 miles away.

And that's okay. With or without a car, the trusting God thing is how it's supposed to be.

Like I said, the car was never a given. And even if it were mine, it would never truly be mine anyway. Who knows? A tree could've fallen on Arkie tomorrow just as easily as that tree crushed the squad car last weekend. What are you going to do? I guess stuff is still just stuff.

Would all of the things I got excited about earlier still be nice? Oh yeah. They will continue to be prayers of mine. But for now, I'm still so happy that God provided for Luke's prayers the way He did. A perfectly good, running car for 700 dollars? I don't care who's driving it, that is amazing. And mine or not, it is a fun (mostly funny) car to drive.

So please enjoy my edition of "you might drive a 1998 Sunfire if..." based on my experience with "Arkie" (everything has a name. Mom came up with it after she pictured me pulling up to UMW in this thing, embodying all sorts of hick stereotypes. And what better hick and Arkansas-representing name than Arkie?)

You might drive a 1998 Sunfire if...

1. you look for a cassette tape at the store and realize they stopped making those things mainstream approximately the year your car was made (with only a radio and cassette player).

2. you spend a good ten minutes looking for the gas release lever by your steering wheel only to remember that your car was made in 1998 and they probably didn't even have that technology then. Sure enough, it is a manual gas tank door-thingy.

3. your car makes you feel old.

4. you almost have a wreck because you just want a little breeze in your car, but then you remember you have manual windows and you are not a coordinated enough person to drive and man that crank at the same time.

5. you set aside money for a tow truck in advance, for when the car inevitably dies on the roads of FredVegas (that's with the hopes that it could even there in the first place).

6. your brother gives it to you for free.

Honestly, most of the gift in the first place was the sentiment-- that Luke and Steph wanted me to have it. The car itself would be a blessing, but in this case it wasn't the blessing. I'm okay with that.

I could have made him very happy, but I know Luke and Arkie will be good together.

Like Batman and the Batmobile.

Like Dumb and Dumber and the Shaggin' Wagon.

John Travolta and Greased Lightning.

Like those little kids and Chitty chitty bang bang.

Starksky and his Gran Torino.

Doc Brown and the De Lorean.

Like herbie and ... well, no, herbie pretty much stole the show. As I'm sure Arkie will, now that I think about it...