Just because I'm sorry doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it at the time

Got the car back from the shop on Sunday. Another $600, but its running beautifully now. I gave them a list of things I wanted done, and they did them all. I drove it home, and loved every minute of it.
Monday evening I was detailing the interior, and as I was rubbing Armor-All on the dashboard something happened. I fell in love with it again.
I’m not sure if its the curves, or the way it crouches on the ground like its ready to pounce. Maybe its my stereo, that I never quite got installed properly, or the race car-like suspension. Maybe its the manual transmission, and the way it makes me feel like when I’m driving, my car and I are in tune with each other. Maybe its the way it hugs corners, and practically begs for me to open up its little engine on the straight-aways.
Whatever it is, when I was done, I had to take it out for a spin. And I had to drop the hammer going up a hill so I could rocket over the top of it… And a cop had to be sitting there in the dark, just waiting for an idiot like me.
Fortunately, he was a nice guy, my driving record has been immaculate for years, and when I explained that I just got it back from the shop and was putting it through its paces, he was very understanding. The ticket was for 95 in an 80 (that’s kilometers) but I was doing much more than that.

It came as a reminder that as much as I genuinely dislike driving the big family wagon, and reminisce about the days when Nic and I could cruise around in our little hot rod, young and stupid and free (and with really high insurance payments), my life has changed. I wasn’t ticked off at the cop who busted me, I was embarrassed because I knew better.
Its time to get rid of my race car, and grow up… some more.
So, we have a car for sale! I’m selling it for $3000. Its probably worth more than that, but the clutch is getting soft, and will eventually need to be replaced. Its up on Kijiji, and there’s a sign on the window. We’re in no huge hurry to sell it off, but the truth is, we don’t really use it. Now that I work from home, I don’t do much solo driving, and the car seats fit poorly in it, so the SUV does most of the family cartage.
Drop us a line if you’re interested!

11 thoughts on “Just because I'm sorry doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it at the time

  1. I pray I never come to a realization like that. I put out more than I could afford, at the time, for a little red race car, and there’s still a cop over every hill (stupid RCMP) and I’m not changing the way I drive for them. Speed is life, and I will die more than a little inside the day I buy an SUV.

  2. @Jon: Oh, I’ve gotten out of plenty of tickets. For $500 you can make any ticket go away — it involves a paralegal and months of dragging it through the court system.
    However, this ticket is for $50, adds no points to my record, and won’t significantly affect our insurance — even then, it won’t be until next year. So, considering the grace I was shown by the cop, I think I’m just going to plead guilty and pay it up.
    @Adam: I’ll give you 5 more years before I send you the self-righteous life-is-better-on-this-side-of-the-fence e-mail in reply that I sent my brother!

  3. Do they give you the option of deferral in Canada? We have this thing where if you have a good record you can say that you won’t do anything bad for a year, pay an extra fee and your fine, and as long as you keep your nose clean it disappears. Yeah, this is actually an option offered by the courts and they won’t inform your insurance company about it unless you get a second ticket too.

  4. Haha. You guys are horrible influences.
    Have you been in the car with Lil jon when he drives? He’s insane!
    He’s worse than you!

  5. You guys both cost me a fortune in insurance, not to mention the agony of a hundred arguments with your Mom on why I didn’t ground the pair of you for driving like idiots. But who am I to talk? The only way I got around my suspension when I married your Mom was that i had an international driver’s license and i could use that in England.
    Your Grandpa was a GREAT driver. Smart, and fast and always thinking several kilometers ahead to every turn, intersection and traffic jam. Even at 75 he was totally focused on the road and all its intricacies. I think he died a little when he had to give up the stick shift on his last car because of his legs. No one was ever as smooth on the downshift as your Grandpa, double-clutching every change right up to the end.
    Don’t mess up the record by doing something stupid!

  6. @Shannon: Yes, Little Jon told me about his driving exploits. I should point out that there’s a difference between a confident driver and a reckless driver. One is likely to end up dead.
    @Dad: While Dave and I may have had high insurance, Liz, who did not, was the only one to confuse to the gas pedal for the brake pedal and drive the car through the back wall of the garage.
    And, I’m sure Grandpa started out a hot rodder before he settled down into his more efficient techniques. You can’t spend that much time around race cars and not want to go fast!
    @Jon: I had a long reply, but I think I’m going to turn it into a post…

  7. @Jon: Does that mean my car has be done in less than 5 years? Cause I’m planning for an EFI Boss 351 and independent front suspension for around then. lol

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