This is John. I sold
my Bronco today. Before I signed the
title over I glanced at it and noticed that I bought it over ten years ago in
April of 2004. I was a young single guy,
tired of trying to drive my pickup through the Kansas snow. I fell in love with the 1978 and 79 broncos
because they were built to last with one of the strongest 4x4 setups ever
made. It was short and stubby, with a
determined look about it. It looked like
the 70’s. But not like the sissy disco 70’s, but like the flannel cowboy 70’s.
The bronco got me through lots of Kansas winters.
It pulled people out of ditches.
It took a trip with me to Lake of the Ozarks.
It hauled the skid steer that helped build our house.
Later it took me and the boys camping and fishing at a few
of our local lakes.
It hauled tons of firewood to keep us warm in the winter.
It always caught attention.
It seemed to appeal to kids especially.
I remember one kid out at Hillsdale Lake asked me if it was a race
car. A girl who saw it told me she
wished her dad drove it instead of the boring Mercedes that he owned. I agreed with her that it was the superior
vehicle. And of course Seth and Colin
loved it too.
I loved how it looked with the top off, and I loved to drive
it around that way when I could. I loved
the fact that parts for it were dirt cheap, and considering how old it was it
seemed like it hardly ever broke down.
So why did I sell it?
Well, I don’t drive it as much as I used to. The Durango is great in the snow and a whole
lot warmer.
I just got tired of that thing I have to do when it is cold
and I come to a stop sign, and I put my left foot on the clutch and my right
toe on the brake and my right heel on the gas to keep it from dying.
With two young boys I was never getting time to work on it.
I didn’t have the money to fix it up the way I always wanted
to. It needed an upholstery job and a
new exhaust system.
And yes, the fact that we bought a piano recently plays into
the whole thing. With a large purchase
like that we needed the extra money.
But I’m not a martyr.
I’m a very lucky man with two wonderful little boys who take up all of
my time. And I have an amazing wife who
plays so beautifully. I’ve always said
that I never feel richer than when I am sitting at home with a book listening
to Kim play the piano.
After I pocketed the money and waved goodbye to the Bronco I
went inside and picked up Colin so he could see it drive away out the kitchen
window. He immediately started crying
and berating me for selling it. It was
really therapeutic for me to hold him because he conveyed on the outside what I
was feeling on the inside. And as I
explained to him the reasons why, I was really explaining them to myself all
over again, assuring myself that I had made the right decision.
I did. And I’m
sad. But oh so blessed. Thank you God.
