Things Considered and the Dirf-Mobile

Now I forget exactly when my son bought that car.  Five years sounds about right.  Someone had parked it at the Bistro where he was a Chef.....not a 'short order cook' he told me many times...."I am a short order CHEF", he explained. " I have a magic spatula...and no one, NO ONE", he would explain while grinning and shaking a finger in my face, "can flip a gourmet pancake like I can !"
And frankly....no one else would buy a 1990 Volvo that looked like that one either.  The headliner was ripped and sagging, one hubcap was missing and another was pretty dented.  The trunk interior was a sprouting mushroom farm.  But...the tires were good, it ran well, the brakes were ok.....and it was under a thousand dollars.  Done deal.  His friends liked it...liked it so much they would come by while he was working and decorate it for him.  Due to his proclivity to mispronounce certain words-"Waldorf Salad was always said "Waldirf"....the car had a name.

When he decided to ove west and pursue a career that coincided with his college degree, the Dirf-mobile became his sister's.  I due believe the deal included some CD's, DVD's and a special hooded sweatshirt that she had coveted.  Whatever. The first thing that occured under the new ownership was a name change.  It became simply, "The Volvo".  She put another two years into it...as well as some new tires.  Alas and Alack....it succumbed to terminal transmission disease in late December.  Daughter is a college graduate and it took her no time at all to realize that a car that has no reverse gear is not a suitable vehicle for someone who delivers gourmet pizza.  No spatula for that kid.
Jumping ahead...a week ago this last friday....she made a deal on a 2003 low mileage Chevy.  The ;headliner was intact, but her cigarette lighter thingee didn't work..."so what..you don't smoke'  "but that is where I plug in the GPS and my IPod"  Some things are important.  She immediately inaugurated the new used vehicle witha 'girl's trip' to Milwaukee from which, on the return trip, whe discovered that through some evil connivance, the trunk would open, but then, not close.  Funny thing, huh?  The following monday I accompanied her back to the dealership from whence the thing came from and that was rectified post haste.  Then.....on thursday night what every parent dreads, fears more than anything else happened.

.........while delivering pizza at 1:30am, on slightly icy roads, at about 45 mph, a SUV with a extremely inattentive driver turned right into the rear right side of the Chevy.  Her car did a complete spin and the SUV then hit her again on the right front.  She was wearing her seat belt.  All the air bags deployed.
She's ok.  A bruised shoulder, a slightly sprained wrist and as she puts it...." I have a really sore left but cheek."  The other dirver was cited....twice.....no insurance.  Miriam's car is a total loss.  But she is not.  Her mother and I talked.....without her present...and a few tears of gaditude were shed....Our daughter was still alive and OK....scared the Bejeesus out of us.

I need to jump ahead.  The Kid had all the appropriate insurance, including Uninsured Motorist and a supplemental she was wise enough to buy that will totally pay off the loan she has yet to make a payment on and the deductible in this case, plus pay for a rental and additional money to help pay for the next vehicle.

I just can;t put into words how I felt.  I don't want to.  They do not exist.  I just get this gut feeling, this heart feeling, everytime I think of it all.  I have not slept well the last few nights...that will change I'm sure.  The moon will come out again.  The sun will rise...I will lose money and then make more.  My back will ache from shoveling snow.....my sore knee will hurt some more.  Dirf-mobiles will come and go.  Some things you can count on.
........they both know I love them...with no reservations, no qualifying..... and I know, because of them......................................................I am truly the luckiest man in the world.