ode to my civic

So I bought a new car - a Scion XB. I love the affordable price, the relatively good mileage and the deceptively large interior. Plenty of legroom for all passengers (I could take a comfortable nap in the backseat) and once you push down the rear seats, the cargo space rivals many mid-size SUVs. Love the iPod jack on the dash.

So, with the arrival of the new car, I'm finally parting ways with my Honda Civic coupe. Forgive me for being sentimental over a car, but we've been together for 10 years - enduring some bumps and bruises along the way. My wife declared that this red Civic is a girl and we often refer to it as a "she". Only a year into its existence, she survived nearly being totaled after slamming into a vendor truck on Rt. 130 in Jersey. Years later, she got rear ended senselessly at a red traffic light by a lady on a cellphone on Broad St. in Philly. And her bumper got bent when my mom unsuspectingly backed up into it after exiting her garage.

My tough little Civic survived it all but eventually injuries took its toll. A leaking roof led to molded carpeting. The air conditioner/heater shrieks and the exterior body is rusting at the seams. Despite all this wear and tear, the engine has never failed and my partner in crime toughs it out every day.

The Civic was with me before I got married. In her youth, she enthusiastically responded to my reckless driving - whether it was racing rivals up and down 95 or cutting off people in the streets of Philly. Now it purrs with loyalty - seemingly anticipating my sure-handed moves. Her rounded headlights and smiling air vents presented a cheerful face to me - especially when she flickered her headlights as a greeting upon being unlocked.

In the early years, the Civic chaperoned college buddies to clubs. She took co-workers out to lunches and my wife has teased me that "other" women have sat in the passenger seat before her. The Civic carried us to our first date, my first meeting with her parents and our first wedding. We made countless number of trips up and down 95 from NYC to Washington D.C. - including a memorable summer trip to Ocean City.

Yes, through every major event in my life during the past decade - the Civic has stood by me and soldiered on. In this last week, I found myself patting the steering wheel and thanking the car for her perseverance. As we parted ways, my heart felt heavy but the sentimental farewell was outweighed by good memories.