INEVITABLE

 

Some things are unavoidable but you don’t go around grieving bad news that hasn’t arrived yet. Then there are little precursors that remind us; it’s out there and we do whatever it is we do with that revelation. When I got my car it had 6.4 miles on the odometer. It smelled new and I had to learn all the new features; back up camera, blue tooth telephone, GPS and more. There must be a dozen different lights on the dash that inform me of one issue or another, like low tire pressure and low fuel. Somehow it knows when it needs an oil change and a little, yellow light comes on up on the left side under the gauges. It’s not that I don't think about the oil but when the light comes on, I think ‘Wow, already that time again.’ 

Three years and thousands of miles later it’s the same except I do the math. Cars last longer if you take care of them but ultimately it costs more to keep them running than they are worth and you change cars. At oil change time I think about my car and its prognosis. When the lady I gave my keys to finds me in the waiting area, I get the diagnosis. Tires, brakes, windshield wipers, filters, computer updates; everything is great or we need something and we decide how much to spend. Driving off the lot I remember its great performance and all the miles we've logged exploring, coast to coast but I also remember there were many cars before this one. 

‘Wow, already that time again.’ This time I’m in my kitchen, looking at two empty pill caddies; one for mornings and the other for evening. They hold all the pills I take, enough for seven days. I need to reload, two yellows and two reds in each compartment for the morning regime and the same plus a little pink pill for the evening. The pink one is a low dose prescription for cholesterol, the others are supplements. Lutein for my eyes and Omega 3, good for about everything are both prescribed but don’t need prescriptions. So I take them every day. When I pick them up I shake them; if there is no rattle I catch myself; ‘Wow, already that time again.’ Every week like clockwork it’s a reality check. My warranty has expired and I need weekly maintenance. I don’t burn high octane fuel any more and we cruise below the speed limit, avoid bumps and low pressure is better now instead of worse. I’m an antique, a classic. If I want to stay road worthy I can’t take anything for granted. 

With the car, new oil and filters and we’re set for 5,000 miles but I’m only good for a week at best but that’s good enough. You shorten your time frame, not because you’re worried about longevity but because every new day simply gets more and more important.