Ever wonder where your old car ended up? I frequently do. I just sold my white pick-up, a car that got me over vast parts of the Middle East the past seven years and never ever let me down once (well, only once), and that was – condescendingly – referred to be my friends as ‘Sokleen ', due to the fact that the local garbage company (Sokleen) drives the same car.
A fantastic vehicle, and I wonder about its new owner. I still see my old Nissan Patrol driving around town now and then, and wonder how they keep that thing running. When I sold that one 8 years ago, it was already consuming more oil than gas. And do they drive with gas masks? After the dog had barfed in the back of the car, and my son –, had stepped all over the seats with ‘human refuse‘ under his shoes (after a walk on the Ramlet el-Baida beach one winter afternoon), that car had to go. And what about my little Morris Marina, that had so much dog hair on the back seats that when you’d drive with open windows (and you had to for the most part of the year, because it didn’t have AC), flocks of hair would fly all around the car?
A fantastic vehicle, and I wonder about its new owner. I still see my old Nissan Patrol driving around town now and then, and wonder how they keep that thing running. When I sold that one 8 years ago, it was already consuming more oil than gas. And do they drive with gas masks? After the dog had barfed in the back of the car, and my son –, had stepped all over the seats with ‘human refuse‘ under his shoes (after a walk on the Ramlet el-Baida beach one winter afternoon), that car had to go. And what about my little Morris Marina, that had so much dog hair on the back seats that when you’d drive with open windows (and you had to for the most part of the year, because it didn’t have AC), flocks of hair would fly all around the car?
Anyway, these thoughts came up when this – formerly Dutch - car from J. de Groot (Installatie Bureau uit Voorschoten, 071 561 86 55) drove by Saturday afternoon while I was running errands all over town. If Mr. de Groot from Holland ever wonders, like I frequently do –I can help him out. His car is alive and kicking in Beirut. It probably got around more than de Groot ever did. 
This car is currently not getting around. How about this for a problem solver?
And this one remains a favorite with me; the peddler of all. Quintessential Lebanese.
2 comments:
Before we left the states, we pulled into a gas station and at the pump next to us was the car my husband and I had purchased together in college - before we were even married. We had the same thought. How is it still running???
I saw my first car last weeek. Christ, it lasted longer than my marriage!!!
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