how clearly I first saw you smilin’ in the sun

Although 1999 wasn’t the party Prince prophesied, it was still a very important year for our valiant 16 year-old protagonist, Matt The Yellow Dart Stanley.  It was the year he met one of his closest friends.  She wasn’t the prettiest, nor the classiest, but she was always reliable.  She was the talk of our family for several months back when she was new to us.  And she was mine.

I remember the first time I drove her.  I just took her around the neighborhood where her previous owner lived.  I was going to be her third.  Her very first was Bill Gatton himself.  He had her shipped over from Japan, met her in San Fransicso and drove her across America to her new home.  She was unique from the other Special Edition Accords in that she had an all black console and dash which starkly contrasted the tan leather interior.  At first my dad was wary, thinking she’d been wrecked and it was a replacement dash.  But I loved it from the very first time I laid eyes on it.

I remember her getting stuck in the snow over in Rhea Valley after paying a visit to Noonie’s. JayAre’s car stopped at the top of a hill (we were going one at a time to keep from having to stop) but I didn’t see him until I was almost on top of him.  I had to stop, killing my momentum.  Not even her front-wheel drive could get her going again.  A bunch of us had to get out and literally spin her around in the snow so I could go back down the hill. (Reverse just sent me straight backwards.  Turning didn’t work on the ice.)  It took several of us pushing to accomplish the spin.  And many days later, I noticed two small dents just above her front left wheel.  It really bothered me because I thought someone had hit her.  Then, weeks later, I was resting on my hands, leaning on the side of her when I realized the two dents were spaced exacty the same distance that two hands would have been spread if someone were trying to push on her.  I arbitrarily blame Tim.

She’s displayed so many of my colors over the years.  She proudly wore the “JB” and later the “B” from my football helmets.  She’s worn several incarnations of the mighty “VT.”  She’s proclaimed Isaiah 26:8 while all the while giving shout-outs to Native.  She was always so fly with all her windows down and moonroof open.

She’s taken me so many places and brought me back from many more.  She was with me on October 1, 2001 when me and a bunch of almost-strangers who would soon become my very best friends went up to UVA for my very first exposure to Passion…which would eventually lead to my faith in Christ.

She’s done me well.  She’s lookin a little rough around the edges but she still runs as well as anything on the road.  She’s got some battlescars, but I love every one of them.  But my stewardship of her is coming to an end.  She’s been a loyal friend for 9 years…and now it’s time for someone else to take her into retirement.

As a tribute, here’s a shot of her in her glory days…being the albeit reluctant participant in the infamous Prank War of 2003.  She may be playing dress-up against her will, but there’s never been anything that didn’t look good on her.