More Than A Memory

There's a new song out by Garth Brooks called More Than A Memory that I love. If you haven't heard it, its basically about a man trying to forget someone he loved dearly...it's a good song.

As many of you know I have many times professed a undying love for my VW Beetle, "Bebo". I've even been know to say "if I could find a man I love as much as I love my car I'd be set." As with any love affair Bebo and I have had our ups and downs.

Bebo and I met 6 years ago on a dark night. I was driving home in the Prism that I was starting to lose affection for...(mostly because it was a stick-shift and I'm terrible at driving one)...when Bebo caught my eye--"shining like the top of the Chrysler building' beneath the bright spotlights. It was love at first sight. Not to mention I swear I saw him wink one of his headlights at me. I pulled over at the car lot and examined him up close. He was perfect--leather seats (complete with "bun warmers"), Moonroof, 5 disc cd-changer, turbo-charged, the works! The next day I scheduled an appointment with the dealer and went in to take a test drive...and fell hard in love with the little guy. As the numbers were crunched I kept telling myself if it's meant to be things will work out...they did and I brought Bebo home with me.

A few weeks later there was trouble in paradise. Bebo decided to flash his Malfunction Indicator Light (which according to the owner's manual means you should immediately drive your malfunctioning car to the nearest VW dealer for a check up...I've lost count of how many time I've done this over the past 6 years. But my love won out every time...and I stuck with him.

Recently I discovered Bebo had a new trick up his sleeve...He started professing his undying love to me by flashing me with his many dashboard lights...the latest the oil pressure light in concert with the temperature light, along with a REALLY annoying beep. Needless to say this grew real old, real fast. There's nothing to match the feeling of dread that overcomes you as you fear that your little car might keel over as you are traveling 65 mph down I-15.

Every time I got in the car a feeling of stress came over me...I found myself asking what's going to go wrong next? Along with everything else the stress was too much. So about a month ago I started the quest for a newer car with fewer problems. I looked at many and then before I knew it, last night I was holding in my hands the key to a Silver Ford Focus...

I knew it would be hard to hand over the keys to my beloved. First I gave them to a cute little guy named Nate who took Bebo for a spin to see if everything worked and to assess the trade-in value. I have to admit it was hard to see my car drive away without me. Nate gave the keys back and I waited...Then I handed the keys to Toby and she cleaned out my personal affects. Making sure to retrieve my beloved CDs (which at present include Bon Jovi, Air Supply, U2, Simon and Garfunkel and the soundtrack to Wicked). Lastly I handed the key over to Chris (the car guy) and that was the beginning of the end.

I walked into another room to sign the paperwork and when I came out Bebo had been stripped of everything that made him mine -- even down to his license plates (004WKP). It pulled at my heart strings...

I had Toby take one last picture of him -- there he was, once again under the bright lights where I first fell in love with him...it was too much for me. It broke my heart to climbed into the Focus and drive away.

Tears started to fall (as they are falling now). I had left my Bebo behind. I never knew saying goodbye to a beloved car could be as sad as saying goodbye to a friend. I will miss him dearly.

In my world, Bebo will always be "more than a memory"