Eulogy for Zoe

What can you say about a 12-year-old car that died?

On December 21st, my dear and trusted companion Zoe, my 1997 White Jeep Wrangler, was taken from me in an auto accident.

Here is the last picture I took with her, as we brave the snow(!) on the Houston freeways in early December.

I had run around with other cars before, but I'm proud to say that I was Zoe's first. We had an instant bond that kept us together through good times and bad. I remember clearly in the early days of our relationship, not to get too personal, how I would give her a sponge bath once a week. Of course, as we grew accustomed to one another over the years, those indulgences of our youth slipped away.

She was always a shameless flirt, though. She just loved to run around topless! And hey, who was I to say no? I enjoyed it as much as she did, flaunting ourselves around town, basking in the sun on every inch of our bodies. It was divine. There were times when I would be feeling down, and just a quick cruise around with her would completely lift my spirits. She really had that affect on me.

Of course, she loved Los Angeles! She fit right in! It was such a joy to be in a city that when you look around, there's actually something to see in the distance. Plus, Zoe didn't feel as self-conscious about having her top off out there. It was almost expected of a car of her beauty. She would go like that for months at a time.

We had our share of bad moments, too. There were a few times when I had left her in a bad spot and vulnerable. She get picked up by some stranger and end up taken somewhere unpleasant. I know it shamed her to be treated that way, but I was always there to spring her out as early as possible the next morning. I always felt responsible, as if I had driven her to be somewhere she shouldn't.

But most of the time, things were great! We had a lot of great trips together, and drove to some wonderful and beautiful places. She wasn't afraid to go off the beaten path and get a little dirty. She was more adventurous than I was, at times.

I remember one time, in the first couple of years that we were together, we had a very unusual experience. She was waiting outside for me while I was hanging out with some friends. Some local hoodlums drove by and assaulted her. That would be terrible, were it not for the silliness of it. When I came out, I saw her covered in flour tortillas!? A couple of eggs had been thrown at her, but she dodged them and even managed to catch one without breaking it. It was a strange, humorous, and memorable evening that we talked about for days.

But, she was getting older. The last few years had not been kind to her, including multiple health issues that seemed to compound every year. She kept her positive attitude and high spirits, but I think even she knew she wouldn't be around forever. She'd had a lot of work done to keep her looking good and running with the younger crowd, but there are some natural aspects of aging that just can't be fixed.

She had a long life, lived well. She was with me and supported me through good times and bad. She was my constant companion and friend. I will miss her greatly. My Jeep, Zoe.