This afternoon, Paul sent me two farewell photos of our 1957-Chevy Panel Truck that has been with Paul for more than four decades, and with me since 1989. Parked mostly on our driveway since 1998, she and Chippy were two constant fixtures, or rather, family members of our home.
It is always emotional for any long-time family members to go. There is no exception with the '57-Chevy. Paul and I have shared many sweet memories with her, particularly in 1989 when I was at UC Santa Cruz. Energetically, Paul took me everywhere in it around Santa Cruz, Porter College, Santa Cruz Wharf, San Lorenzo Valley, etc. In the fall of '89, I got my first waitress job at ABC Restaurant in Scots Valley. Paul would drive and wait for me in the truck until late, sometime freezing in the rainy evening. I still remember the restaurant owner's unhappy face at the sight of the proud truck in the empty park lot. The job did not go anywhere, but got me the right experience for a job at Palo Alto's Jing Chuang Restaurant that helped me to save enough for the tuition of 1990.
The next six years, Paul and I were busy working and studying in Santa Cruz and Berkeley. So was the truck. If not driven, it quietly housed a homeless friend until he was housed with the help of local social services. The following decades saw the truck retired at first along the curb, and then on our driveway. As for our restoration plan, it disintegrated with our working full time, and lack of skills and equipment. Nick and his high-school friends had tried to slow down the rust by painting years ago, but even their paint has been gradually peeled off under the fierce sunlight. It is time to turn to professional car restorers! One of the them from the south answered Paul's Craigslist. He is now the new proud owner of our 1957-Chevy Panel Truck. We are happy both for him and the Chevy that is going to have a proper and well-deserved care. We will get a photo of its restored self, the new owner promised.
