ode to a honda civic
Thou now well rust’d chariot of economy,
Thou artifact of overseas production,
Consumer reports, who can better weigh in
On the merits more adroitly than I:
The flimsy black plastic that rings your body
protecting you from the dings of daily usage
in parking lots and moving collisions.
Could this protect you from the ravages of time?
Why worry about scratches in the door? Or quarterpanel?
Why didn’t it come with a rust-proof undercoating?
i am at once sad and happy to say that the honda civic which has served me so well over the past two and a half years has passed out of my possession. being my “very first car,” i will always remember it with sweet sentiment. indeed, the fact that i chose to purchase another civic will serve to stand testimony to my overall positive experience with the little red hatchback.
whenever you let go of an object, it revives the memory of experiences shared with that object. whether it is an old stuffed animal, or a box of stamps that you conned off your sister, some objects hold great meaning. with the civic, these memories are of growing up, of journeys homeward, of journeys outward, of hot summers and of frosted winters, of music louder than the road and of being tossed around by the storm. i can justify its presence with economic analysis, it costing less than a couple grand, including repairs and tires and the rest, for its two plus years of service, but, again, that i could afford it and that it ran were enough. old cars have character, and though i was just beginning to experience this character full force (which, granted, is not always the most welcome occasion), i was certainly aware of this character, and not altogether unhappy with its presence.
to the man who has purchased this car from me, for the price of the gas sitting in the tank: may it serve you as well as it served me. never mind the cobweb that was in the engine compartment because i had left the car sitting for a couple of months. never mind the lack of power steering, and lack of “you left your headlights on” warning dinger. never mind the rust. this is a car that will get you there, and it was as close to free as many things get in this world. the value of the memories it will bring will far outstrip the price of gas. also, be careful not to flood the engine. she doesn’t like to start when she’s hot.