Adios Leslie!

I said goodbye to an old friend last night. It was a bittersweet farewell. While we had shared some good times together, it was time for me to move on... and besides, we really needed the cash.


Leslie wasn't my First Car. No, that title goes to my little white 1980 Nissan 200SX. It looked similar to the car pictured here - stylin'!



Nevertheless, Leslie and I had been together since I was a senior in high school (which was, like, ages ago!) and she was something special. Allow me to share some fond memories from our years together...

- Leslie was always reliable in taking me to early morning dance team practice and delivering me home after late-night shifts at McDonald's.
- We took friends with us on many trips in the summer to swim in the Calapooia, and she never complained when we got her seats wet with nasty river water.
- It was together that we traveled to Cascade to brave the mysterious world of college and learned to navigate in the "big city."
- She endured some gear-grinding (and possibly some cursing) when I let my roommate use Leslie to learn how to drive a stick-shift.
- We were pulled over only once, when Leslie's right headlight went out. We were left with a warning and I didn't hold it against her.
- One time driving to my parent's house, Leslie started making some weird noises but I didn't stop to check it out. When I got home I discovered I had been dragging her muffler on the ground for much of the trip. I felt bad about that one, but made it up to her with a shiny new muffler.
- Leslie wasn't really high-maintenance, but I did put some of my Mech Tech skills to use (thanks dad, for making me take that class) when we replaced her alternator and performed various maintenance tune-ups.
- When David and I got married in 2004, he welcomed Leslie into our family too, and he's the one who actually christened her with the name. I guess I didn't really call her anything before that - how heartless of me!
- Old Leslie and I endured rush-hour commuting, traveling in the rain and shine (mostly rain), honking at crazy Portland drivers (until her horn stopped working), passing numerous DEQ tests, and various other grand adventures.

Towards the end of our time together, Leslie and I started to grow apart. I was spending more time with Mr. Bigs (our Hyundai) and Leslie was often left alone in front of our house. While I felt bad about this, what could I do? She just wasn't needed anymore... We decided that it was time for her to find a home where she could be truly appreciated.

Several people come look at her but none of them seemed quite right. Finally, a young guy named Shaun came to check her out and he knew at first sight that she was the one for him. He didn't even take her for a test-drive before he asked us if he could take her home. It just seemed right. We watched, with great hope for their future, as they drove away together into the night.



I hope he'll love her as much as I did...