It was really embarrasing having the car in high school as everyone had a car that was only 5-10 years old. Mine was about my age. One day this girl came up to me and said, "I think someone tried to break into your car." I was thinking, "Yeah, right." Then she explained the front grill was broken, so I comforted her: "Oh, it's always been like that."
When I went to my community college, going into that car was always such a relief. Seeing its green color right away...ah, what a feeling. You see, there were no other cars that color. It always made my day. I started to fall in love with my Dart. I remember walking on the hood and top of the car just to wash it. That smell, whoah! I remember being able to lie on it but sometimes getting burned by it in the summer. I could lie in the back seat and sleep. Oh, and in the summer, no air conditioning was the best--I had to wait for the car to COOL down! I would ride with the windows open, and the best part was the little air vent doors. I wish they would still make cars with them--if they do, I hope they name it a Dart, and I'm there...
Finally, when I moved to college, I had to part with my Dart, it got passed down to my younger brother. Around Thanksgiving of 1993, he must have forgotten to check the oil and the engine blew. I couldn't afford nor did I know how to fix it so we had to send it off. I couldn't be home to see them take it away. It was a very sad day--I promised that I'd come back for it but I'm not able to buy it back yet. I'm not even sure if it's still around.
I live in Michigan--car country--and all you see are these complicated cars. You can't kick them or lie on them. You can't even lie down in their back seats. They don't have the cool little windows or doors. I have an Escort now. But my Johnny taught me a lot about car maintenance--it always needed antifreeze and oil. I miss that car and wish I had never given it away. One day, I will spend money on my Johnny again.