Saved Memories: My Green Mazda
As I was headed to work this morning, passing by all of the car dealerships, the memory of my favorite car flooded back to me. It was my 1994 Dark Green Mazda MX-6.
When I bought the car, I was not close to being in the market. I was out driving around as I could often be found, in the current car I was driving, a little older black Mazda 626 GT, with Sun Roof, Stereo, 5-speed stick shift and all. It was a great car, and the only thing that was wrong with it was my Muffler had fallen off, and I needed a new one.
For some odd reason, I got a wild hair up my ass that I needed to go car shopping. Usually, my Dad would go with me and make sure that I didn't get a bad deal, and co-sign, check everything out and all that. But this day I went out on my own, with head full of youth fever.
I drove all the way out to Covington Pike Mazda (close to where I work now), and set out across the lot to take a look around. Of course one of the evil sharks was quick to fly over to his new-found prey and got me hook, line and sinker. The guy talked a bit about the cars, we were looking at the program cars (which basically meant there were a few miles on the cars due to testing, or other use, but usually not bad).
Those cars went for a cheaper price. I remember like it was yesterday: $12,500. I almost got the baby blue one. It was pretty. Why I decided on the dark green I don't know, although I do love green.
Not the actual photo, but very similar to the one I owned
except mine did not have the spoiler. I loved that car. :)
When I arrived home, needless to say, my father was less than happy. I don't think it was really because I got the worst deal, but more that it was the first time I had ventured off and made a rash decision on my own without consulting him. For some reason I felt like he was going to be proud that I had made this command decision, but instead I guess I illustrated in some way that I had grown up a little more and needed him a little less.
Oddly I didn't give my little green Mazda a name, though it was so special to me. I'm rather inconsistent with naming my vehicles, I named my very first car "Paul" after Paul Stanley of KISS. After that I don't really remember naming any others, although I did name my motorcycle as everyone well knows, "Jimi" after Hendrix.
After all, his view was that there was nothing majorly wrong with my other car, just a muffler issue. That would've been an easy fix. Daddy could always fix anything, or knew someone who could take care of it, and he would always make sure that we didn't get a raw deal.
Although some of my most special memories were made in the green MX-6, cruising around with my friends, coming of age, listening to tunes, romantic moments (this was the car during my "Z" phase), and tons of outings with my partner in crime, Tamra. It turned out to be my favorite car. Still, I regretted doing it the way I did. Especially these days, oh what I wouldn't give to have my Dad alongside of me picking out cars once again. I miss him so much.
The car and I enjoyed each others kinship for nearly 3 good years before my nightmarish hydroplane off the interstate, hitting a tree and parting ways as it was totaled. That "totaling" marked not only the end of the car, but the end of a lot of things for me, and was the mile-marker for the start of a lot of harder times. About a month after the wreck, I did buy another car, my first real "NEW" one, and Dad had a hand in helping me with that one, but still not in the same way he used to.
That fateful day that I went off and made my own big girl buying decision, I guess I damaged a little part of my father's protective role in my life, one that upon looking back I dearly wish I could have saved.
Here is one of the first songs I remember cruising to in the car. Lenny Kravitz "Spinning" (from Reality Bites Soundtrack)
When I bought the car, I was not close to being in the market. I was out driving around as I could often be found, in the current car I was driving, a little older black Mazda 626 GT, with Sun Roof, Stereo, 5-speed stick shift and all. It was a great car, and the only thing that was wrong with it was my Muffler had fallen off, and I needed a new one.
For some odd reason, I got a wild hair up my ass that I needed to go car shopping. Usually, my Dad would go with me and make sure that I didn't get a bad deal, and co-sign, check everything out and all that. But this day I went out on my own, with head full of youth fever.
I drove all the way out to Covington Pike Mazda (close to where I work now), and set out across the lot to take a look around. Of course one of the evil sharks was quick to fly over to his new-found prey and got me hook, line and sinker. The guy talked a bit about the cars, we were looking at the program cars (which basically meant there were a few miles on the cars due to testing, or other use, but usually not bad).
Those cars went for a cheaper price. I remember like it was yesterday: $12,500. I almost got the baby blue one. It was pretty. Why I decided on the dark green I don't know, although I do love green.
Not the actual photo, but very similar to the one I ownedexcept mine did not have the spoiler. I loved that car. :)
When I arrived home, needless to say, my father was less than happy. I don't think it was really because I got the worst deal, but more that it was the first time I had ventured off and made a rash decision on my own without consulting him. For some reason I felt like he was going to be proud that I had made this command decision, but instead I guess I illustrated in some way that I had grown up a little more and needed him a little less.
Oddly I didn't give my little green Mazda a name, though it was so special to me. I'm rather inconsistent with naming my vehicles, I named my very first car "Paul" after Paul Stanley of KISS. After that I don't really remember naming any others, although I did name my motorcycle as everyone well knows, "Jimi" after Hendrix.
After all, his view was that there was nothing majorly wrong with my other car, just a muffler issue. That would've been an easy fix. Daddy could always fix anything, or knew someone who could take care of it, and he would always make sure that we didn't get a raw deal.
Although some of my most special memories were made in the green MX-6, cruising around with my friends, coming of age, listening to tunes, romantic moments (this was the car during my "Z" phase), and tons of outings with my partner in crime, Tamra. It turned out to be my favorite car. Still, I regretted doing it the way I did. Especially these days, oh what I wouldn't give to have my Dad alongside of me picking out cars once again. I miss him so much.
The car and I enjoyed each others kinship for nearly 3 good years before my nightmarish hydroplane off the interstate, hitting a tree and parting ways as it was totaled. That "totaling" marked not only the end of the car, but the end of a lot of things for me, and was the mile-marker for the start of a lot of harder times. About a month after the wreck, I did buy another car, my first real "NEW" one, and Dad had a hand in helping me with that one, but still not in the same way he used to.
That fateful day that I went off and made my own big girl buying decision, I guess I damaged a little part of my father's protective role in my life, one that upon looking back I dearly wish I could have saved.
Here is one of the first songs I remember cruising to in the car. Lenny Kravitz "Spinning" (from Reality Bites Soundtrack)
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