Jeep!

     The family that lived across the street from us when I was very young – on the other corner of Heinrich Road and Valley Circle Lane was a family of 4. I mentioned Becky already – she was my age, and we often played together. She had a younger brother, and her parents were Mr and Mrs G.

     Mr. G had a Jeep! I was still a pre-schooler when he had it – so I don't know what make or model it was – but it looked like an old Army Jeep – with a cream color instead of green.      If you know me at all, you would figure me to be someone who is not at all impressed by cars, but at that young age, I really thought that Jeep was cool! And I made a mental note to get a Jeep for myself one day, a quiet, modest thought tucked away in my childhood memories.

     Years went by. I did not get my driver's license, let alone a car. In college I took the bus or got rides from wonderful, and if I have not thanked you all enough, many many thanks, friends. The buses and rides continued with my first jobs after college. When the Blizzard of '77 hit, I finally decided to take driving lessons, get my license, and buy a......Jeep. But I didn't – I got a new job and an apartment in the city, which was on the bus line.

     Since then many more years have gone by – I got my license at the age of 31 – after Sarah was born. And of the not so many vehicles I have owned, Jeeps had never even been considered.

     And then Mike came along. Mike has been in my life for 11 years now. At some point I mentioned to him about Mr G's Jeep and how I had told myself I had wanted one. But I didn't really think I still did.

           When it became apparent last year that my 240,000 mile Saturn and his 300K Nissan truck were both soon going to need replacing, Mike started looking at Jeeps! I pleaded with him to let it go – the gas mileage is not good; the repairs are expensive and plentiful; we are practical people and Jeeps are not practical. But Mike wanted to get me a Jeep – and have some fun himself.

     So now we are the proud owners of a bright yellow 2007 Rubicon – I call it Colonel Mustard; Mike calls it Tweety. And it has a tag that says “Ol Yeller!”

     We are old people in a Jeep. And having a blast!!!!!

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