My Car and I
You were more than a car. You were a silent witness to a life!
One of the questions asked during my job interview for Saipan was, "Do you know how to drive?"
I didn't know how to drive that time so my answer was, "I could learn." (I never had my own car before so I didn't think it was necessary to learn how to drive. In Manila, public transport was available anyway.)
When I came to Saipan, it was my first time to have my own car.
I had a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander. I just wanted something that could bring me from point A to point B without hassles but I got so much more than what I bargained for.
The car taught me a difficult lesson about trust. It was a painful lesson that cost me another dream. The dream of owning a laptop. You see, after 3 months, I discovered that the car needed major repairs. It was so perfect on the outside (I never had a car, so I didn't know anything about cars except models and prices) but it had a lot of stories to tell inside. I spent close to $1,200 to replace the parts. And to think I only had the car for 3 months. That experience made me realize that someone whom I thought was a good and sincere friend turned out to be nothing but a hoax.
After that experience, I forced myself to move on.
The car never had problems after that. I felt at home in it. It brought me from where I wanted to go and at the same time, it gave me confidence in my driving skills.
My red car has been a good car. It was my place of prayer and meditation. I used to live in Garapan area for 9 months and the 20 minute drive to Chalan Kanoa afforded me my "quiet time." I am not a very religious person but I am proud to say that I am more spiritual than religious.
I drive from Garapan to CK, passing by the Beach Road. For the past 9 months, I was a silent witness to the beauty of nature and I can't help but be awed by the wonderful artistry of a God who made all these.
I was a witness to the blue, green and calm waters of the beach. (My favorite spot is the stretch from 13 Fisherman Monument to Toyota Microl). I was a witness to the bright red-orange petals of the flame trees. Flame trees are my favorite trees. One of the fondest memories I have of summer was when we travelled from Puerto Princesa to El Nido in Palawan. The whole stretch of the road was lined with flame trees. Alone and definitely homesick in Saipan, the flame trees in full bloom bring me back to that wonderful summer.
I was a witness when the rains started to come in June and when the flowers fell into the ground covering the Beach Road in orange carpet. I felt like a queen driving in a carpeted road.
My car was a witness to the human side of me. The various emotions that charactize my person. The excitement I felt while driving to the airport at 3a.m. to fetch my friends, the joy of having them and driving them around the island for 10-days in August, the pain of saying goodbye to them, the frustrations, the giddiness after seeing my crush (he!he!), the conversations with friends, the fear of evacuating after hearing the tsunami warnings, the memorizations, the dreams, the discussions, arguments and tender emotional moments with an officemate and the mundane concerns of every day.
My car was a place where I sang out loud to Better Days, Fast Car, Subcity, You Learn, Someone to Watch Over me and more. It was a place where Cecille and I would sing our hearts out while driving in the dark street of Middle Road and Beach Road. It was a place to listen to the music of MartinNievera, Alanis Morisette, Tracy Chapman, Nina, Eraserheads, the Beatles, James Ingram, John Denver, John Mayer, MYMP, Hotdogs and many more.
I didn't know how to drive that time so my answer was, "I could learn." (I never had my own car before so I didn't think it was necessary to learn how to drive. In Manila, public transport was available anyway.)
When I came to Saipan, it was my first time to have my own car.
I had a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander. I just wanted something that could bring me from point A to point B without hassles but I got so much more than what I bargained for.
The car taught me a difficult lesson about trust. It was a painful lesson that cost me another dream. The dream of owning a laptop. You see, after 3 months, I discovered that the car needed major repairs. It was so perfect on the outside (I never had a car, so I didn't know anything about cars except models and prices) but it had a lot of stories to tell inside. I spent close to $1,200 to replace the parts. And to think I only had the car for 3 months. That experience made me realize that someone whom I thought was a good and sincere friend turned out to be nothing but a hoax.
After that experience, I forced myself to move on.
The car never had problems after that. I felt at home in it. It brought me from where I wanted to go and at the same time, it gave me confidence in my driving skills.
My red car has been a good car. It was my place of prayer and meditation. I used to live in Garapan area for 9 months and the 20 minute drive to Chalan Kanoa afforded me my "quiet time." I am not a very religious person but I am proud to say that I am more spiritual than religious.
I drive from Garapan to CK, passing by the Beach Road. For the past 9 months, I was a silent witness to the beauty of nature and I can't help but be awed by the wonderful artistry of a God who made all these.
I was a witness to the blue, green and calm waters of the beach. (My favorite spot is the stretch from 13 Fisherman Monument to Toyota Microl). I was a witness to the bright red-orange petals of the flame trees. Flame trees are my favorite trees. One of the fondest memories I have of summer was when we travelled from Puerto Princesa to El Nido in Palawan. The whole stretch of the road was lined with flame trees. Alone and definitely homesick in Saipan, the flame trees in full bloom bring me back to that wonderful summer.
I was a witness when the rains started to come in June and when the flowers fell into the ground covering the Beach Road in orange carpet. I felt like a queen driving in a carpeted road.
My car was a witness to the human side of me. The various emotions that charactize my person. The excitement I felt while driving to the airport at 3a.m. to fetch my friends, the joy of having them and driving them around the island for 10-days in August, the pain of saying goodbye to them, the frustrations, the giddiness after seeing my crush (he!he!), the conversations with friends, the fear of evacuating after hearing the tsunami warnings, the memorizations, the dreams, the discussions, arguments and tender emotional moments with an officemate and the mundane concerns of every day.
My car was a place where I sang out loud to Better Days, Fast Car, Subcity, You Learn, Someone to Watch Over me and more. It was a place where Cecille and I would sing our hearts out while driving in the dark street of Middle Road and Beach Road. It was a place to listen to the music of MartinNievera, Alanis Morisette, Tracy Chapman, Nina, Eraserheads, the Beatles, James Ingram, John Denver, John Mayer, MYMP, Hotdogs and many more.
When I sold it 2 weeks ago, I felt sad. I realized that I had developed an emotional attachment to the car. It saw me through the various phases of my life here in Saipan and now that I am leaving, it has to go too.
I wonder when will I ever have my own car again. In a year? In a couple of years? I want to have the same kind - Mitsubishi Outlander. But I promised myself that when that time comes, I am buying it brand new!
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