Sky Captain bit the dust two weeks ago. You might remember when I shared the car’s major warning signs that she’d soon pass. I was coming out of a turn within an intersection and the wheel broke off, fender bent and pieces from the side of the car spilled onto the pavement.

Last week, Sky Captain went to the crusher and was flattened into scrap metal. It left me deprived of wheels in a time when few can get around without transportation. Thankfully, my blind mother had little use of her great grandma mobile, so I was able to use the relic when my sister wasn’t chauffeuring her around.

A couple of days ago I drove my sister to work and she asked, “Are you embarrassed driving an ole lady mobile?”

The question startled me because I always viewed the ole boat, as a movie classic like the type of car Burt Reynolds would drive in Boogie Nights. It never dawned on me that I should be embarrassed to drive a vehicle appreciated by old ladies. I mean, it’s not like my mom has blue hair, wears too much make-up and eats at a lot of restaurants. Well, the restaurant part is true.

I don’t believe cars are a symbol of who we are. I believe they reveal our circumstances, not our hearts. Although, some people drive cars for a long time to squeeze every penny out of them, but most drive what helps them to function. In my mom’s case, she loves the wider doors for ease of entry when she transitions from the wheelchair.

When I was in high school I drove a sports car. College required me to move every year between the dorm and home, not to mention lugging a drum kit around weekly, and my vehicle of choice was a pick-up truck. Once I started a family we bought a minivan and replaced it with a full size van as the three kids and two dogs got bigger.

During my tenure at Fortune 50 companies, I got back into sports cars, as they were perks based on my positions. When it came time for my kids to attend college, I found myself in an economy car. Even the circumstances of divorce forced me to sell off the economy car and purchase Sky Captain for $500 with the hope that she’d see me through the recovery process – She lasted more than ten years.

Now that I’m a starving artist again, I borrow a granny mobile several times a week. As for my image, I’ve got to say that I look smooth driving the machine around the single ladies…maybe not. Actually, I probably look more like a chauffer driving a silver boat.

The good news is that its time to move and the car is big enough for transporting items to Goodwill and storage sheds. The size of the trunk is huge and the backseat wide enough to consolidate trips.

It’s not about being embarrassed; it’s about the perfect timing for having the right vehicle to move things around. And, some time after all the boxes are moved, I’m sure another window of opportunity will bring a different car my way by the grace of God.

In the meantime, keep a look out your window and see if you can spot this smooth lady charmer tool’n down the road in a silver ole lady boat.