ODE TO MANNY 2.0
Manny 2.0 Broken :(
I’ve always loved cars…
I’ve always loved cars. I think my real obsession started when my bestfriend Derrick in high school got an Acura Integra manual transmission. We’d go to lunch in that car, drive around for no reason, go to tennis matches because we were both on the tennis team, and even ride to work together because we both worked at Hungry Howies pizza. Derrick talked about cars so much that I began to take an interest in them. Not to mention my dad always drove manual transmission and was a mechanic. It was only natural for me to drive a manual transmission. I’ve been blessed to own 3 different cars:
1984 Honda Accord - 4 speed manual transmission
The first car I purchased with my very own hungry howies high school money was a 1984 Honda Accord, manual speed. He was old but he allowed me to feel like I was finally becoming an adult. My dad help me pick out that car. Originally I wanted this 1985 Nissan 300Z I found but dude tried to trick us and he duck taped the CV joints so that I wouldn’t notice they were broken. Of course my dad checked it and we skipped out on that deal but I regretted it because I wanted that car so bad. So we ended up purchasing the Honda Accord and guess what…gasp the CV joints ended up failing maybe a month later. So I always felt like damn I shoulda just brought the other one if this was gonna happen.
1999 Acura Integra - Automatic 4 cylinder
So fast forward to the car I purchased once the Honda Accord died on me. Yep he died on me. I ended purchasing the coveted Acura Integra (automatic transmission) and man did I LOVE that car. It was short just like me and perfect. I named that car Manny. Why I have no idea it just felt right. That car took me all up and down the Florida panhandle. If it wasn’t for me moving to Portland I coulda hooked that car up with my corporate money. I ended up giving it to my brother and just starting over once moving to the PNW.
G37 Infiniti sport 6 speed manual transmission
So my latest car and the most beloved was my G37 Infiniti. Manny 2.0. A 6 speed king in these streets. No baby coupe mobile! Can I just be honest and say I lusted over this car all throughout college. I just knew I was gon buy one once I got a real job! And I did! It was probably not the best thing to do once getting my first real job but I wanted to treat myself for finishing grad school and I was like “treat yo self” for once girl! I did and it has been my favorite car up until someone ruined the life of not having a car payment a few weeks ago! They ruined my baby and totaled him.
Thank goodness God took the car and not me. I am thankful but that doesn’t mean I don’t have feelings. Yes. I miss my car yall. I miss my car so much insert ugly crying face. The fact that I had what I wanted I didn’t have a desire to buy another car immediately. I had no more car payment for about the past 2 years I been using that extra money to pay student loans.
This past month has been tough but this accident definitely reminded of a few things:
It could be worse.
I’ve always known this but I think this reminded me. I went to a Luau last weekend and the guy speaking told a story of a guy who has cancer and this same guy was involved in a hit and run while he was skateboarding. All I could think was that’s some bullshit isn’t life already tough for dude. That’s life for ya. What you do with it when it gives you lemons is what’s most important. Ultimately getting through rough times is what molds and builds us.
Life is gonna do what it do.
Let me explain getting in this accident put me in a funk. Dealing with not feeling well, no car and figuring out the big decision I had been planning for a few months now and questioning whether this is a good time to go through with it anymore. This just reminded me of when my dad passed away and how depressed I was. Not nearly as bad but there is some nostalgia there. This just reminded me that bad things still do happen but we’ve gotta push through them. I refused to be depressed for to long. I’ve learned from my pass dark times you’ve gotta take the time to feel and then there’s a point you just gotta move through it. At the end of the day life is gonna do what it do baby!
Life really is short.
Yes I always know this but this is a reminder. I could have died in that accident and I think that alot and I also ask myself the question: do you like the way your life is? It’s a reminder to focus on the things that are important to me. If it isn’t serving my purpose then don’t waste time on it because life is short. If somebody is making your life miserable, you don’t have to deal with that person if you don’t want to. If you hate your job find a new one because life is too short to be hating life Monday-Friday wishing you was somewhere else. I strive to be happy and it’s a huge priority for me. This accident was a reminder
I really like cars
Losing this car prematurely made me sadder than I could imagine. My rental was a Toyota Sentra. Let that soak in. I miss you Manny 2.0 and I will always remember you. I like cars so much that I have already picked out what cars I’ll be driving as I get more and more successful. Here’s the list (subject to change):
Manny 3.0 - TBD
Hobby car - 1984 GTI VW
“Oh shoot we got kids now” car - Jaguar F pace
“Half a mill salary” car - G wagon
“Mid life crisis car” car - Nissan GTR
“I’m rich bitch ” car - Undisclosed