an ode to The Van

Today has been an uneventful one spent at home. My sister turns 20 today (I feel sooo old!) but she’s at school, two states away. She got my macaroni-themed present yesterday so we talked then. I’m sure we’ll call as a family as soon as my parents get home from vehicle shopping. 

We got word this week that our beloved 1993 Ford Club Wagon Van is not worth the $2000 it would cost to fix it. We took it in last Saturday when it was discovered that it wouldn’t go in reverse (the transmission dropped). I find myself feeling nostalgic thinking about all the good times our family has had because of it. 

The Van was special, not just because it was a vehicle, but because it was modified to accommodate a power wheelchair and gave me further independence. When I first got sick we had a Ford Taurus station wagon which we bought after my youngest brother was born (4 months before my illness). The Taurus couldn’t hold a power chair and I really needed one because I didn’t have enough strength to push a manual one. A van, became a reality for us. Americans, in general, covet our vehicles, but for our family, having our van has truly been a blessing. 

Its health had been declining in recent years, rust had been eating away at its body, the gas gauge did not work, duct tape held the console/cup holders together, the side doors barely latched, the engine made awful noises all the time and a hole had worn through the floor in the back. Yes, you could see the road as you were driving. When I was a Senior in high school, we had the engine completely rebuilt with new and used parts and much of what fell apart before and after that was not really necessary for The Van to get you from Point A to Point B. It was, and still is, Our trusty, rusty Van. In fact, most people in town know our Van because: 1. We’ve had it for so long, 2. Most people in our town drive SUVs or luxury vehicles that are in mint condition and 3. The Van is associated with me and I’m somewhat of a local celebrity. 

Dad said that he’d hope for The Van to last until I graduated college. There were times that we weren’t sure it would make it. But it did, plus 2.5 years! We can be grateful for that I suppose…

It carried me and my 400 lbs. power wheelchair wherever I wanted/needed to go, not to mention all the times the other 5 people in our family needed to use it. In its 16 years and 180,000 miles of driving, our family has made memories in The Van that I’m sure we’ll cherish the rest of our lives. The Van has witnessed many states and even Canada, life milestones and life changes. Here are some of the highlights:

1. The Van has been to 21 different states, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming, plus Ontario & Québec, in Canada. In fact, it drove from Montréal to Chicago in one long day! 
2. All 3 of my younger siblings learned to drive a car in it. And they didn’t get in any accidents.
3. The Van witnessed my first date, my high school Prom, my grandpa’s funeral, my many adventures with friends, rock concerts, mall trips, doctors appointments, carpools, college move-in & move-out days, IKEA trips, job interviews, track meets, chorus concerts, little league baseball games, family gatherings and countless other events in my parents’ and siblings’ lives.
4. The Van has been pulled over a few times… Once when my friend, Ashley, was driving it. We didn’t have the headlights on (by accident) and we got away with a warning…phew! My dad wasn’t that luck… on several occasions!
5. We wrote messages on the inside and outside windows and many of them are still there.
6. It ran out of gas at least two times that I can remember… Once coming home from church and then, of course, the infamous time we ran out of gas on I-26, about 25 miles Southeast of Columbia, SC on our way to Hilton Head. I don’t think any of us will forget that… having to call the State trooper, my brother having to pee on the side of the road while we waited for my dad to return with a newly purchased gas can and gas. We even have pictures of the event! 

The Van stopped on I-26

Dad humbly filling the tank with gas

The sheriff that helped us was not happy we took his picture

Oh, Van… it is sad to say good bye to you.  You have been an integral part of all six of our lives: the joys, the sadness, the frustrations, the memories. I am sorry for all the times we insulted you, for the times we didn’t take the best care of you. I am sorry for all the times we doubted you. I am sorry for all times we were embarrassed of you (and there were many, especially in this town). You had a long and beautiful life and I am happy to have shared it with you. There is so much more I could say…

But most of all, thank you. Thank you for being there. Thank you for keeping us safe and almost always getting us where we needed to be.

We will miss you…