Not My Problem!!!

So today I saw Bebo for the second time after the "divorce." I stopped in at the dealership to have them check out my stereo because it won't load a cd. It was a quick in and out trip. they'll order a new stereo and call me when it's in. As I'm pulling out of the shop I see a silver Beetle in the parking lot of the Service Center. Sure enough it's Master Bebo. I had to laugh and breathe a sigh of relief as I wondered which of his many lights had come on this time--once again Not My Problem!!!

And Still...

As we were merging onto the freeway last Friday -- out of no where came a little silver VW beetle. It was of course my Bebo. He still had the crack by the light and the slightly low front tire...but he was changed. He was missing his Scooby-Doo decal and his girl with the Mickey Mouse ears, the things that made him uniquely mine, but it was Bebo nonetheless. It was like looking at a completely different car.

You know the weird, bittersweet feeling you get when you run into an old boyfriend--He's the same man you loved but the part that made him uniquely your is gone...The feeling are still there, under the surface, but not quite the same.

There's a fabulous Reba song that says it so well...

Thousands of people live in this town and I had to run into him. When I saw him there on that busy street those feelings came back again. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide He walked up to me, looked in my eyes And still The world stood still I couldn't move And all I could feel Was this aching in my heart Saying I loved him still.

He said how have you been It's great to see you again You're really a sight for sore eyes I said I can't complain Oh, I'm doing fine We talked as the people rushed by We laughed about old times and all we went thru That's when he hugged me and said I've missed you And still The world stood still I couldn't move And all I could feel Was this aching in my heart Saying I loved him still.

That's when she walked up to him He said this is my wife I gave my best smile But I was dying inside He said we've gotta go now It's getting late It was so good to see you Then they walked away And still The world stood still I couldn't move And all I could feel Was this aching in my heart Saying I loved him still.

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"

Introducing Bebo...

isn't he cute?

100 Things About Me

A friend sent me an email once containing 100 things about herself and challenged me to think of 100 things about myself...I haven't made it to 100 yet, but I thought I'd share what I've come up with so far.

1. I love the song “I love a rainy night” by Eddie Rabbit.
2. I have eaten a grasshopper that was specially prepared by my brother. It was cooked using a Bic lighter.
3. I was converted to country music by my best friend.
   
4. I am in love with Bono, Ewan MacGregor, Jon Bon Jovi (what is it about Bon Jovi) and Paul Walker.
5. I love singing along with the Partridge Family.
6. When I was a teenager I was in love with Kevin Arnold from The Wonder Years
7. My Grandma is my hero – I want to have wrinkles like she does when I get older.
8. If I had a Top-Ten List of fabulous moments in my life it would include Going to Disneyland for the first time (I cried when I saw it) and seeing Wicked on stage in Denver (May 25, 2007).
9. I found my true self in Macon Georgia.
10. I have a doppelganger somewhere in Canada. (I have photographic proof if you don’t believe it).
11. I love that my oldest nephew, is now not only a nephew but a friend.
12. I adore my Silver VW Beetle, whose name is Bebo, and if I could find a man I loved as much as I love him I’d be set.
13. I’m half English.
14. If I had a house with a huge yard I would buy myself a Border collie and name him Hank and also Jack Russell Terrier named Jake.
15. My feet are extremely ticklish.
16. I don’t know that I’ve ever spelled “ticklish” before.
17. I love playing along with Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune & Lingo
18. One day I will go walking in Scotland (partially in memory of Ma Bonner)
19. Kids love me.
20. I believe that there is nothing better than dancing in a Georgia rain storm (Top-Ten candidate).
21. The nearest I’ve ever come to perfection was when I held a living, breathing butterfly on my fingertip. (Top-Ten candidate).
22. I have an unexplainable fear of escalators.
23. I can’t stand phony people.
24. I never learned to swim
25. I am scared of any water that I can’t see or feel the bottom with my feet.
26. I enjoy mowing the lawn (or cutting the grass if you're from the South).
27. The 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice is a favorite movie.
28. I’ve seldom laughed harder than when I saw Thoroughly Modern Millie for the first time.
29. I choked on a McDonald’s hamburger once because I was laughing and chewing at the same time.
30. I’m utterly clueless when it comes to dating
31. I fell in love with a man named Jerry who had pretty hazel eyes.
32. Sometimes I doubt that I’ll ever find Mr. Forever.
33. I joined the ward choir because the choir director had a gorgeous pair of eyelashes.
34. My biggest fear is that I won’t be able to have children of my own.
35. I was 20 before I drove farther south than Salt Lake City. I didn’t have a reason to and Mom wouldn’t have let me…she was very protective.
36. I have never been kissed.
37. I love Bowling. I’m a terrible bowler, though I can’t understand why my dad used to watch it on TV and it looked very easy…nothing to it just roll the ball down the lane and hit the pins.
38. I’m a compulsive nail biter
39. I become sarcastic around boys that I like. I never say the right thing.
40. I’m good at “zingers” (see You’ve Got Mail if you don’t know what a zinger is) but they always come after the fact.
41. I sobbed when Dumbledore was killed in Book #6.
42. I cry A LOT.
43. The laws of Physics fascinate me.
44. I love to crochet (my grandma taught me how, I think)
45. My dad taught me to knit.
46. I can do one bird call.
47. I’m going to name my first daughter Ruby Jane
48. I love the name Jake
49. If I could spend any amount of money on clothes anywhere I would shop at Eddie Bauer.
50. My favorite food is pie.
51. I hate black eyed peas – I think they taste like dirt.
52. Boy names I love: Owen, Luke, Joshua, Caleb, Gabe (short for Gabriel), Jack & Ian.
53. I have seen 2 of the 4 sets of Pandas in the United States (San Diego & Memphis) and I will see the others one day (Atlanta & Washington D.C.)
54. I love that if my earphones accidentally get unplugged from my iPod my music isn't blasted to the rest of the world (especially at work).