Sad Goodbyes

The time has come to bid The Rental goodbye.

Replacing a terminal transmission, it seems, is an ill-advised investment on a discontinued car that burns oil. Consequently, Fairfax Co Firefighters are now the proud owners of one well-used 2000 Saturn SL1. As I pulled up to drop it off, it jerked into the parking spot, dragging something from the undercarriage, and spouted a cloud of black acrid smoke. Not a moment too soon...

Before handing over the keys, however, I took a moment to honor her many battle wounds.

There was the tree branch that dropped on the roof during a storm irreparably denting it. On the left side, spider-like scratches ran the length of the two doors where bushes scraped my car during a sad parking occurrence. Both the left and right sides of the front bumper showed signs of unfriendly sparring: the left due to an unfortunate decision on my part to look at my GPS and not the row of parked cars, the right a result of a misjudged left turn into a friend's car. The hole torn out of the hood marked a run-in with a Volvo (always buy Volvo - they always triumph). The frame above the left back wheel misshaped, for a reason I honestly can't remember.

All in all, I'd say serving as a "jaws of life" practice trial at the fire station is an appropriate end.