Lost and Found

My car was found. To be more accurate, I should say, AAA's car that belonged to me up until 4 weeks, ago was found.

Sierra Hart towing picked it up on Monday at 2613 U street. It was stolen at 23rd and N street. According to google maps, those two spots are less than a mile apart. There my little silver baby sat for 2 months, gathering parking tickets, which I am not responsible for, until finally someone figured out that it didn't belong there. Right now, I really have a lot of faith in my police department. Really, I do. Seriously. Ok, maybe not.

AAA had an auction company, Copart, pick up my car. And no, in case you are curious, I can't buy my care back. I have to have a business license and be a member of Copart. So my baby is out of my hands forever.

After asking politely, AAA decided to inform me that, yes, I could pick up any personal items I had in the car, if they were still there. This afternoon I drove down one of the most beautiful sections of Florin road ever (yes, there is sarcasm there) to check out and say good-bye to my faithful workhorse of the past 9 years.

My first job was to remove the 26.2 magnet (after last sunday, I deserve that) from the back and then I opened the doors. The outside looked like business as usual, but inside, oh, I almost cried. The steering column was a mess and my car's guts, the green, red and white wires that make it go, were spread all out across the floor. There was a big hole where the radio once was and the speakers were missing. Considering that one of the speakers was blown (only the driver's side worked) and the radio was 10 years old, making any money off this car is going to be a bit of a heartache for those thieves. But it tore my heart in two to see the broken down condition it was left in. The police report gives an estimated value of the car at the time of towing. Their estimate, less than $500. My baby was worth a lot more to me, I tell you. But in this condition, even I wouldn't want it back.

The plus was that everything else I left in the car, was still there. My running shoes (three days late) and clothes, bike helmet, fast track, State Park Pass (worth about $100), even the paperclip man that a good friend made for me. All of it was there sitting in the back seat along with an extra pair of shoes that weren't mine. I left those when I picked up everything else. I figured they cost about the same amount my radio and speakers were worth, probably more. Hopefully the thieves will be looking for those for quite a while.

Part of me hopes, despite knowing better (I am an intelligent woman after all) that someone just really, really needed a car that night. Maybe a wife was pregnant or a best friend was in the hospital.  Not that those stories would justify stealing a car, but at least there would be a reason. But yes, I am giving too much credit to the thieves. After looking at the odometer, they barely drove the car. Not enough for even a joy ride so why take such an old, worn down, car whose main value lies in the owners heart?  It makes me sad that people would stoop to such a level.

I said good-bye today, and it's really like saying goodbye to an old friend. That car and I have had great times, driving to Big Sur and the cabin, getting a make over while in front of a friends house while I was camping, trying desperately to get 680 on the radio so I could listen to the Giants games.  Sigh, good times.  I gave my baby car one final hug and wished it well. It will probably be sold within the week and broken down for parts. I wish others well in their use of them. At least they're getting them legally.