End of An Era...

A 1992 Cavalier… strange to consider this car as a symbol of an era… but it was just that.

My parents bought this car for me when I was a freshman in college. It was my lifeline to life at home and I spent HOURS driving between Normal and Antioch. It was my first real time of independence. I could go wherever it would take me. I traveled to schools for practicum and eventually to my student teaching placements. It allowed me to have a job off campus that I loved. I paid dearly for parking spots on campus and even had to fight my roommates for the sacred spot in our apartment complex.

We used the car as collateral to pay for our wedding. It was in this car that we took our first real vacation as a married couple. We drove through 8 states in 8 days that Spring Break. It was our reliable car as Chris was driving the Geo Metro at the time. IT was not always reliable, and required several alternators and batteries over the years. However in the end, it always came through for us.

As much as I liked the cavalier, it was time to move on and get a newer car. I was now a professional and wanted a “grown-up car.” We bought a Kia Sportage for me to drive and Chris started driving the Cavalier. We still depended on it, and it made the long commute with Chris to work each day. Eventually, it became apparent that we needed to upgrade once again. Chris bought a Malibu and the Cavalier became our back-up car. Sadly, that was really the last time it was driven. I was now driving a larger SUV and Chris had his Malibu.

The cavalier has sat in our driveway for 5 years. I guess part of me just didn’t want to get rid of it just yet. We talked about getting rid of it all the time, but just never followed through. It stopped working and had really started to show the miles and years. Chris finally arranged for our neighbor to come and take it to the junk yard. We were paid $50 and off it went.

So it is the end of an era… I am now more responsible and more grown up. We’re in our 30’s now. But I honestly had a pang of sadness as I watched him take our 1992 Cavalier away!