This Eulogy is over, considering Mighty died October 17th.
Mighty Whitey, 21, beloved car and friend (Sadly no picture was found).
In Larkspur, CA, on October 17, 2009, Mighty Whitey, a.k.a Captain Many Trips, died in the parking lot of Bed Bath & Beyond. Although most cars are referred to with feminine pronouns, Mighty was definitely a male car. This happened mostly because his second owner, Rachel named him after Jerry Garcia. Her parents purchased the car right before her 16th birthday from the Penny Saver. Before even getting her license, Rachel began placing multiple stickers on Captain’s rear.
There was never really an accurate count but in the end, although some faded, Mighty had an estimated 25 stickers or so. He was a great first car, full of pep and low mileage. Rachel remembers fondly the first time she took him on the highway. She drove her best friend Cathy home over the Tappanzee Bridge, windows open, blasting The Who, and fearing the two trucks in the surrounding lanes. There were countless memories and friends in NY for Mighty.
When Rachel outgrew the East Coast and traveled to California, Mighty came with her. He didn’t drive cross-country but was shipped out to San Francisco. Once he arrived there, he was driven to his new home in sunny Santa Barbara. He loved the warm weather and some of his rust from the years of snow subsided. He made many trips to Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. He received his new name from Rachel’s college roommate for multiple reasons.
When Rachel moved to the Bay Area, he was still her number one car for a few years. Then, into his Golden Years, parts started breaking. His visor got stuck, gearshifts malfunctioned, and he had other problems. He was replaced by the Batmobile and reduced to a 2nd car that took her Mom to drive to the bus. Although his role in the family became limited, he was loved. The family mourns his loss but knows that after 16 years of use, he owes them nothing. RIP Mighty Whitey, you will be missed.
Sorry to hear. He served you well. Now he'll rest or be reborn as his working pieces are harvested for those other 88 Corolla's still driving the friendly miles.
ReplyDeleteMighty Whitey will forever hold a place in the portion of my heart reserved for collegiate nostalgia. I remember trips to LA, to In and Out Burger and the Natural Cafe and to our internship at the Film Festival. His passing marks the passing of a relic from another era - sunshine, sea air, finals, film nerds, things on the beach and "BOHs". RIP.
ReplyDelete