Prompt Day Number 1

Sometimes my life is boring. I will hazard a guess that there will be many days in the next year that will be boring. Uneventful. Lacking in thoughts to share or stories to relate or anecdotes to tell. On these days, I will respond to a writing prompt.

"Describe your first car."

It wasn't actually mine, but when I turned 16 my family had in our possession a van. I should probably tell you that it was a Dodge Caravan made in a year of the late 80's I don't remember, and that it came to us at the price of $1.00. That should have been a warning.

This van was white with scuff marks reminiscent of an over-sized gym shoe used one decade too long. It smelled that way too. The fabric on the inside was stained and the ceiling cover drooped so you couldn't fully see out the rear window. The sliding door came off if you yanked on it too hard, and never fully closed unless you did.

I didn't care; it was mine to use when it was free, and it got me to school and work and home again with steady and consistent regularity.

Towards the end of its life, the van would overheat... a lot. About every three miles or so, it was necessary to get out, pour water into the radiator, let it cool, and go again. It certainly wasn't worth replacing anything, and I think my father contended that it was good for my character and pride to be forced to obey the commands of a thirsty and tired engine. Too bad that it was the middle of winter. Too bad that twice in one day the same person in my HUGE town saw me performing said task ("Stephanie, tell your dad to fix that!"). Too bad that school was about 4 miles away and work a mile past that. Too bad that your friends had to climb in and out of the drivers' side door because it was that or the back hatch. Too bad...

Because it was mine to use.