While we were gone hard times fell upon one daughter and she needed a car for her young family and so, of course, Big Brown, with her big heart, came into duty again. However, a neighbor and friend, either to save the esthetics of the neighborhood, or out of true charity, (or, I believe, both) gave our daughter a van. Well, it was much prettier and so Big Brown reappeared parked in our sons driveway. We came home at the same time our granddaughter and her husband and two children left the armed forces and came home to go to school and begin a new life. Her husband needed their car leaving her grounded and though they looked askance at Big Brown, she was reliable and she still ran great. Again she was pressed into service.
This time we had to clean out the two wasp nests that had been built in her hatch back and her sliding door. But she served them well, as usual. But her long range trips to Oregon were behind her and after a year and a half it was determined that my granddaughter needed a “better” van. Again, she was parked and again we thought to donate the poor old girl. Just yesterday one of our daughters called to say her car had given out—needed work—and what to do? Yes, that’s right! Big Brown is again on the road transporting mom to work, car pooling to school, driving kids and equipment to games, etc., for a few days at any rate.
The day she actually takes her last trip away to go to one of those bone yards for cars will be a very sad day for this family. For my husband and I, it will mark the end of an era and a reminder of our waning years. For our grandchildren it will also mark the end of their childhood and the beginning of their life of responsibility. It will be a sad day and I know there will be tears in my eyes. She has been an inspiration to me. When we think we have given all we can give, done all we can do, there just might be something more we can give or do, someone else we can help. Even when we are old and ugly by the standards of today, we aren’t out until that last great trip.
