Brave Little Buick by Carol G Oliver

Once upon a time there was a beautiful little blue Buick with a landau top. It had all the bells and whistles any human could want. However it sat in the show room for ever so long it seemed it was just waiting for the right person to come along. Finally a gentle man came along looking for just the right car, but the salesman gave him a bit of lip when he said it would take a lot of trouble to move it onto the lot. The man gave him 45 minutes to get it out or there would be no sale. At first the little car looked very sad and dejected, it was lonely and needed an owner.

Well the story goes that the car was moved and the man took it home to see the wife. It was love at first sight. The years went by and the little car did its sacred duty very well. It was proud to transport the precious cargo of family and grandchildren. However the years had taken its toll and at first cosmetic things began to fail, things like the lights the console came apart. Then first one window would not close because of failure in the automatic system (that was repaired at a handsome price) and then the other back window failed and that was a little too much to take. So for the longest time the window was taped up, but to his pride he would not let this slow him down. He never gave the family a bit of distress. No he continued to take them anywhere they wanted to go, even when they were going from one dealer to the next looking at new cars. He had no worry because they all looked big and ugly: from his vantage point, their style resembled a hearse. He didn't give it a thought because the daughter’s sexy yellow corvette still liked to park next to him. They made quite a dashing couple indeed. But the day came that he was given cause for concern. The owners ended up at the Ford dealer, now they had been there before but never really wanted to test-drive one of those tanks. They had been to Honda, Buick and Volkswagen but never really seemed ready to deal. This time it was different however because the Lady saw Champagne colored Taurus with dark trim.

The brave little Buick knew that sound, as she squealed with delight. But they had to go home for money arrangement. So again he did his duty and took them home. All night he worried and cried because he saw the handwriting on the wall. The cats no longer climbed on his hood to keep warm. They were the only other living creatures that he really knew other than the family. The night was long, dark and cold. The next morning the man and the woman came out to get in the car like any other day but this time the little Buick realized it was for a different reason.

In a last ditch effort to get them to change their minds he refused to start.... It did not derail their intents to trade him in, for the man got out his charger and gave the battery a charge. The jolt went through him with such force he had to start out of self-defense. All the way to the Ford dealer he prayed they would change their minds, he knew the lady loved him and so did the man, but the gentleman said, "Who ever gets this beauty has got a really nice car. I bet someone at the dealership will buy it and fix it up for a family member. " When the little Buick heard this he knew that he was in for a great adventure Perhaps he will get to hang around with some kids again. He had missed the grandchildren because they all lived so far away. Just think he would be with kids all the time and have a lot of other human friends.

He was really glad for he heard they named the new car Gertrude.

© Carol G Oliver