RETURN TO FREEDOM

She showed up in the Jeep shortly before noon. Her sister was sitting in the front seat, but moved to the back seat when they parked in front of our building. I was grateful for my daughter to drive us to Cedar Park today.

Today was the day. The day we got the car back. After a week without being able to drive anywhere, except for the trip to the Turkish shop and Central Market where my daughter drove us, we have been freed. Released from the shackles of confinement. Of having to rely on a single mode of transportation for, well, anything.

We don’t really realise how much we depend on cars until we cannot use them. Oftentimes, though, we might drive for the sake of driving. With no destination in mind. But when you are basically shut off from the outside world for days, you start to feel trapped. Control is no longer yours as you now rely on the mercy of others to get you from one point to another. Oftentimes, at a great cost, when you consider the prices of multiple Uber rides to get you where you need to go and back home.

It was good to sit in my car. One I have had since a month after my oldest turned a year old. She turns 19 in less than two weeks. Toyotas are great cars, but you need to make sure you maintain them.

The mobile car guy explained everything he did to the car, albeit I have to admit that I was not paying close attention. I was simply glad it was fixed and we could now go places.

He let me know that he had to remove the bumper in order to get to the radiator, which is why the labour costs were a bit high. The thermostat was still under warranty from last August, when he did our first repair. He made sure all of the fluids were topped off and left us the remainder of a bottle of special coolant with us. Made for Asian cars, as the bottle stated.

After having been quoted amounts that ranged from $8,000 to about $12,000, as well as the fear that we might have to buy a used car, the almost one thousand dollars that we did end up spending was well worth it. It was the cost of our return to freedom.