Life of Car

The tow truck arrived, though Austin could only hear it as he couldn't see over the crest of the snowy hill. The tow had come to hook up the car at the bottom of the hill and take it away. The removal didn't cost him anything, though somehow it made him feel used. Like receiving nothing for towing it away lessened the true worth of the car. It was freedom: they were taking away his freedom. Or what was atone time his freedom. Just as well, there was nothing that could be done; the transmission had stopped working. It would have cost Austin more to have it repaired than to just say goodbye.

As the tow truck finished his work, he drove away with Austin's first car grappled to its lift. As they drove up the road that curved around the frozen pond, Austin was lost in thought.

-----

In his third year of university, Austin was in need of some wheels. He had a budget of six thousand dollars and had done his research. He wanted something that didn't feel boring, but also had some utility. He'd settled on a used Golf that was slightly under budget and at a small dealership that specialising in used Volkswagen's.

Austin had his friend Sally drive him to the dealership the town over and sent her away.

“Austin, are you sure?” she asked.

“Absolutely,” he replied. “ I already spoke with the salesman on the phone. I'll be fine. When I'm done here, I'll be driving away as the owner of my new car.”

“Used car,” Sally reminded him.

“Used, yes. But it will be all mine.”

Austin exited her car and called back through the open door, “See you at your place in a few?”

“Bring your new wheels,” she teased.

Austin made his way to the trailer that served as the sales office. He entered the trailer and was standing directly in front of the reception desk. Austin asked for Bill and was quickly introduced a man dressed in a tan suit and yellow tie. Bill then escorted Austin outside to the car lot.

“There she is,” declared Bill as he pointed to the red Golf not far from the trailer's front door.

Austin's heart raced. The car looked better in person than it did in the pictures online. Its red exterior seemed to shine in the sunlight. He made his way around the four door hatchback paying attention to the details. The wheels were small, but fit the diminutive wheel arches. The tailgate had no rust around the handle which often plagued these early models. He rounded the front of the car from the passenger side and got a sight of the front bumper and lights. Somehow it looked happy; the way the lights and grill met made it look like it was smiling at him. The enthusiasm was infectious and Austin was brimming with anticipation.

“You want to have a seat behind the wheel?” Bill asked as he handed Austin the keys.

Austin awkwardly accepted the keys from Bill and fumbled with the key fob to open the electric door-locks. Pretty good for a '98. Austin thought to himself. He opened the door and sat behind the steering wheel. The car actually smelled new and everything was spotless. The fabric seats were clean and without blemish. The tape deck in the dash seemed quaint in a world of CDs and MP3 players.

“Why don't you start it up and take it for a spin?” Bill offered. “Exit here at the front of the lot, take it right to the first set of lights. Turn left and drive until you reach the next intersection and take another left. Drive to the end of that road and connect onto the highway going southbound. Follow the highway to the next exit and make your way back here. Have fun, and see you soon!”

The smile on Austin's face was bigger than that on the front of the Golf as he started the engine and followed Bill's circuitous test drive. The takeoff was smooth and easy. The pedals and steering felt excellent and intuitive. They weren't hyper sensitive yet not sluggish either. Austin felt like he was one with the car and it provided him excellent road feel.

At the light, he indicated left and waited for the it to turn green. The simple tick, tick, tick of the turn signal was not annoying or too loud. Austin made his way north and then left again at the next intersection as instructed. He proceeded to the highway on-ramp and used the electronic controls to open the windows so he could listen to the noise of the engine.

The wind blew in through the windows as he accelerated onto the highway. The Golf was not going to win any races, but it was plenty powerful enough for his everyday use. The exit came quickly and Austin left the highway to return to the dealership.

Bill was waiting next to the sales office door with some paperwork in hand.

“So,” Bill said in greeting. “Is this your new car?”

-----

“Where are we going?” asked Sally as Austin drove them down the winding two-lane highway. It was getting dark and Austin had to use the Golf's headlights to light the way. This was exactly as he'd anticipated.

“Don't worry,” Austin said. “It'll be worth it when we get there.”

Austin and Sally started dating not long after he bought his new car. The year since was the best year of their lives. They made little day trips in Austin's Golf and travelled around the countryside.

As Austin drove, they listened to a mix tape he'd made for her. Making tapes for his car was a newfound hobby and he listened to them often. This was one of his favourite drives: taking the small secondary highway north out of town and into the wilderness. Tonight he had a special destination in mind for this trip.

He reached the turnoff he was looking for and killed the lights after he left the highway. He drove another 100 metres before pulling in front of a small sandy hill.

“Where are we?” asked Sally. She squinted in the dark. It looked like something was in the sand on the side of the hill; something like words. Sally couldn't make it out though in the early dark of the night.

“Sally...” Austin said quietly. He was building up the courage to say something, Sally could tell. “I want to ask you something.”

“What is it?” Sally had a feeling, but wanted to hear him say what it was. But he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned the headlights back on and they illuminated the sandy hill in front of them. On the side of the hill were the words “Sally, will you marry me?”

Sally giggled as she read the words. Despite her intuition she still felt surprised. Writing out the words in the sand had the affect Austin was looking for. He loved to see the smile on her face.

“How did y...” Sally's words drifted off.

“I come out here to think sometimes, or to unwind after a day of studying. The last time I was here, I thought this up. I loaded up the back of my car with these dark coloured rocks from a road on the opposite side of the highway.

“Sally, we've been seeing each other for a year, though we've known each other since our freshman year. Now that we're finishing university, I want to get married and start our life together. What do you say?”

“Yes... Yes!!” Sally exclaimed and leaned over to kiss him.

-----

“I do,” Sally said as Austin slid the ring on her finger. They each turned to the pastor as he smiled at them.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife!”

Cheers erupted from family and friends as Austin and Sally danced their way up the aisle, out the front doors of the small chapel and into the sunlight. They descended the stairs to the sidewalk and street below as their guests filed out and gathered on the stairs.

Sally turned her back to the crowd and lobbed her bouquet into the middle. A university friend of hers caught it and gave a sheepish grin. Sally and Austin laughed along with their friend and turned back to the street where Austin's Golf was parked.

Austin helped Sally climb into the passenger side before coming around to the driver's door. He started up his car and lowered the windows as he and Sally waved at their guests. He drove off to the racket of cans bouncing on the roadway which were hanging from his car's bumper with string.

They drove away from the church but not too far. Their reception was to be held at a waterfront restaurant a few blocks away. The restaurant was where they had their first date and featured a boardwalk along the edge of a large pond. A road ran alongside the pond on the lower side of a hill while houses lined the hilltop overlooking it. On their first date they each commented how pretty it was and how neat it would be to live in one of those hilltop homes.

Rather than take the road to the bottom, Austin drove up around the top of the hill behind the houses. He pulled into a small driveway in behind one of the hilltop homes and pulled a set of keys out of the glove box.

“I have something I want to show you Sally.” he said.

They exited the Golf and made their way up to the house. Austin unlocked the door and they went inside. The front door opened into a living room with a large window overlooking the pond below.

“I was able to put together first and last rent and get us this apartment,” Austin said.

Sally walked up to the window and looked out over the water. From the window, she could see the restaurant where they would have their reception. “It's wonderful!” she said.

“Come on,” Austin said. “People will be expecting us.”

-----

Austin stood at the window as snow began to fall. The car was long gone now as the tow truck drove it away, but he still gazed off thinking about all the memories.

He spotted Sally walking across the frozen pond from the restaurant across the way. She had started her new job as the general manager at the restaurant but was done for the day. She disappeared as the hilltop hid her from view. She soon reappeared at the top ascending the stairs that ran from the bottom of the hill to the top and gave him a quick wave.

“I'm home,” Sally said as she came in the door. “What are you looking at?” She took off her boots and coat.

“Nothing anymore...” Austin spoke sombrely.

“I saw they came to take you car away.” Sally stood beside him looking out the window. “What are you thinking about?”

“I'm thinking...” Austin began. “I was thinking about how that car was part of us. You were there when I bought it, it was there when I proposed to you and it was there when we were married.”

Sally grabbed his hand and placed it on her belly. “I'd say that we've outgrown your Golf, and now it's time for something new.” She was beginning to have a noticeable bump.

“As long as it's not a minivan...” Austin laughed and Sally laughed with him. They held each other as they watched the snow come down on the frozen pond outside their window.