Farewell to Jumby The Jeep

EMILY BOUGHT A new Suburu last weekend. It's the end of an era, because she will no longer be driving Jumby The Jeep.

Jumby came to Emily 10 years ago. Her grandparents bought it new, then gave it to her mother, who in turn gave it to Emily. She's been to New York, Toronto and Michigan many times in Jumby. The check engine light was always on and Jumby usually needed new tires, brakes, a belt and/or the air conditioner fixed. Emily had somewhat of a love/hate relationship with Jumby, but I suppose it's like anything else - you have it long enough, you become attached. Ten years is a long time to own your first vehicle.

Jumby has been good to Emily.

The first and only new car I bought was in August of 1988. I had my first real job, as a sports writer at Advance Newspapers in Jenison, Michigan. I needed reliable transportation because we covered a huge area of West Michigan. So I went to a Grand Rapids Ford dealer on 28th Street and bought a Ford Festiva. The price was about $7,000, according to the internet. I remember the salesman asking for a down payment. I had $10 to my name. He said, "That will work." And I had a new car.

It had surprising leg room for such a tiny car, but not much else room. For a while it was a great ride. Then one snowy afternoon I pulled into the parking lot of an elementary school, where I was coaching the basketball team. There wasn't another car around for miles, but of course I lost control and it slammed into a light fixture, crumpling the front end.

We got it fixed, but it never ran the same again..

I don't remember what I ended up doing with it, but I likely sold it in Alpena for next to nothing. And I've never owned a brand new car since.

I'm hoping Emily has better luck than I did with her new ride. I'm waiting for her to name it. And I'm glad she got around in Jumby safe and sound all these years.