Ruby Pearl

 With the exception of my last car,

I’ve always had hand-me-downs,

And, really, I’ve been fine with this.

I’ve known where the cars have come from—

My dad or my next door neighbor—

And I’ve known that they were taken care of.

I purchased my last car from a dealership,

Used, with all major service records,

And I felt good about the purchase and the car.

 

The car served me well,
Drove me over 50,000 miles,

But it took premium gas.

So when my dad approached me about getting a new car,

I didn’t tell him no.

I’d figured that I’d get my dad’s Highlander when he decided to get a new car,

But he decided that I needed a new car--

One under warranty,

With a family oil-change plan, and

With the new car smell.

 

Unbeknownst to me, my dad contacted the dealership and told him what we were looking for.

Did I know what we were looking for? Nope!

But evidently, my dad did! 😊

Before we knew it, my dad received an e-mail stating that a 2023 Highlander was due to arrive at the dealership in a couple of weeks.

If we wanted it, then we simply needed to put down a $500 deposit,

Sight unseen.

Being old fashioned, this seemed strange to both me and my dad,

So we contacted our car salesman and set up a test drive with a 2023 Highlander.

I pretty much knew that I’d like it because of my experience with dad’s car,

But I needed to jump into the new-fashioned car-buying process somewhere,

So I went to the dealership one Monday after school.

 

Long story short, I ended up learning about the Toyota Crown,

The brand-new hybrid replacement to the Toyota Avalon that gets 41.5 miles per gallon,

And it completely confused me.

Longer story short, I ended up driving a Crown exactly one week later.

I tried to like it because of its amazing gas mileage and sporty, futuristic look,

But I just didn’t like it.

 

 

Then I had an idea: a Hybrid Highlander.

I contacted my salesperson immediately and he told me that a Hybrid Highlander was due to arrive on Wednesday.

The person who had ordered it backed out,

So it was available.

The only problem was that it was Ruby Pearl,

And I didn’t want a red car.

 

Longest story short,

The car arrived that Wednesday night,

I got pictures on Thursday morning,

I actually liked the Ruby Pearl color,

I had a gut feeling that this was my car,

I put down a deposit and did the paperwork to secure the vehicle between my first two classes,

And I sent the e-mail just in time.

If I would have waited any longer,

Then the Hybrid Highlander would have been sold to someone else.

 

I test-drove the vehicle Thursday afternoon.

It was my first time driving a hybrid.

Good thing I found it fascinating.

Dad and I went to the do the rest of the paperwork on Friday afternoon.

I walked away with the keys that day but couldn’t bring it home until Saturday because of logistics.

I got my first ding on the car almost as soon as I got it home on Saturday,

And I had my first coffee spill on Sunday.

 

The whole experience was exciting, nerve-wracking, adrenaline producing, and a bit scary.

But now that it’s all over,

I’m so very grateful.

(And amused that I ended up buying a car sight unseen anyway!)

 

Dear God: Thank you for Ruby Pearl. Thank you for the process that led me to her, and thank you for my dad’s presence and help in buying her. Bless us as we begin this new journey together, and allow the journey to safely take us hundreds of thousands of miles together. Protect her from unsafe drivers and road hazards and keep her from breaking down. Guide the computer and the mechanics, the technology and the parts, the ins and the outs, the key and the tires, and help Ruby Pearl to be a good value for the money. This is a once in a lifetime experience. Thank you. Amen.