IT'S ONLY A CAR

BY DAN MILLER
(originally posted July 7, 2005)

The odd looking photo next to this essay shows melted crayons on the back seat of my car.

It's one of the things I like about my little car.
For one thing, it cuts down on the number of people who ask for a ride, since they fear they'll have to sit on melted crayons.

My car is not new, though it was new when I bought it 3 or 4 years ago.

It's a small, inexpensive car, and people often ask how -- at 6'8" tall -- I can fit inside.

First, I always remind them that I'm only 6'4"..... I only appear 6'8" when emerging from such a small car.
I also assure them it has plenty of head room, which is -- to me -- the most important thing a car can offer.
Say, for example, I've already sprayed my hair into its helmet-like shape for the day -- in this car, I can sit straight up, without rubbing my hair against the roof.

On Monday (July 4th) I drove my car to Riverfront Park for the big Fourth of July celebration and broadcast.
Since the TV station had only a limited number of parking permits, they asked each of us who drove to haul as many people as we could pack in.
For my car, that meant four people.

So I was joined by Terry Bulger, Demetria Kalodimos, and Mary the intern for the ride downtown.

The night before, I had washed the car and cleaned out papers and debris from the seats and floorboard.

Across the back seat, I spread two small towels so that Demetria and Mary the intern could sit back there without getting melted crayons on their rear ends.
Terry and I -- with longer legs -- rode in the front.
And that's the story of how we got downtown.

Now, back to my original point.
I've always considered that when children place their inevitable stains, scrapes, cracks and other marks on ordinary personal property and objects, it only makes those objects more meaningful and memorable.

Any object left unaltered by a child is somehow less than it can be.

When I first noticed the melted crayons on the back seat two years ago, I was -- frankly -- a bit annoyed.
But then I remembered it had been done by someone I love. It had to be either my child, my grandchild, or (a long shot) my wife.

I now look at those melted crayons the same I would a picture of my family on my desk at work..... always bringing to mind good and important things.

So next time you ride with me somewhere, you'll understand why the towels are there.

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