This weekend I said goodbye to the only car I have ever owned.
I bought the Priz when I was 17. It was a flash decision, born of lucky circumstance and necessity: I totaled my parents' minivan in the high school parking lot and had no choice. I needed a car, and I needed it fast. Before we found the Priz, Paul and I had to ride the bus - for a grand total of one week. Needless to say, it was one of the longest weeks of our lives - and one I vividly remember...hating.
My mom and I had discussed a price range, and I knew I didn't want to pay more than $200 a month, but soon realized that cars in that arena were few and far between. I test drove a Saturn with a stick shift - not very well, I might add. We were back at the dealership in no time. I had no preferenct in make, model, or color, but instinctively knew I wanted it to have a sunroof, power windows and locks, and a CD player. Sadly, I soon learned that these bells and whistles didn't generally come on a $5,000 car.
I settled on the Priz, paying $6,500+interest. I very quickly learned that taxes on a purchase that large added up quickly, and that interest was a b****. It was love at first sight - and very luckily so, because my patience with riding the bus was wearing thin.
I.loved.that.car. Since I bought it at the height of my high school career, and drove it all through college and 3 years post-graduation (a grand total of 9 years), the memories associated with driving in it are innumerable. Some of the top would include:
2000: Being reprimanded by Mrs. Belliston in the HS parking lot for parking in faculty parking (she was trying to give me an opportunity to be an example to Paul, but instead I took the opportunity to give her lip, and ended up getting chewed out in her class, and promptly passing out).
2001: Packing EVERYTHING I own into the trunk and backseat to make the mighty move to Ephraim for my freshman year in college. Thank goodness for a fully furnished apartment.
2002: Driving to Las Vegas with Snow College roommates and learning firsthand that when the oil light turns on, you should probably check it out.
2003: Driving to Los Angeles with Haley - no destination in mind, just the two of us and the road. We ended up in LA, two naive, sheltered Utah girls, and at the temple because we knew nothing bad would happen to us there.
2004: Fighting with the starter EVERY TIME I TURNED THE KEY. Thank goodness for Uncle Dave who saved me in the WalMart parking lot and escorted me to the repair shop! Oh yeah - and this was the year I PAID OFF the Priz.
2005: Started a long distance relationship with a guy in Logan - began commuting from Provo to Logan nearly every weekend (sometimes not even leaving Provo until close to midnight).
2006: Graduated from college and moved to Salt Lake City to begin life as an "adult." AND, in my first "real adult" scenario, I had to pay to have the transmission rebuilt - to the tune of $2,000 (ouch!).
2007: Took the Priz for an impromptu trip to Las Vegas with Nick for In-n-Out. We ended up walking the strip until the wee small hours, and landed in the Bellagio parking lot to sleep for a few hours - to this day, we're lucky to be alive (and still friends, for that matter).
2008: Started working for JDRF and realized again the Priz's massive capacity for cargo. The best example of this is cramming 13 boxes of Frito Lay inside and driving to Logan with my knees against the steering wheel...again, lucky to be alive.
2009: Realizing that 3-years post-graduation is high time to buy a new car. The final "long" trip in the Priz was to Idaho Falls to kick off the Walk. What a great last run. I decided on a 2009 Subaru Impreza Wagon - very practical for work, and nice and zippy. And I finally got my sunroof, power windows and locks (and even more important, NOW, an auxillary cable for the iPod).
Side by side, there's no contest. I am so grateful to have the Imprez (tried to figure out a parallel nickname). I hope Brad is equally as grateful that Doug and Lynnae were kind enough to buy the Priz for him...he really lucked out. Its got a nice long life ahead - and he better treat her well!
Dear Neighbors,
