It
is hard to believe it has been 11 years. I know time ‘flies’ as you get
older but it feels like February 2004 was just two years ago!
I
was getting ready to celebrate my 17th Leap Year birthday at the
Mariott Hotel and Marina at an elegant, elaborate brunch buffet. Chuck
was coming in from Memphis and on the schedule was to go see Bette
Midler in person among other things.
I had just
moved from a small one bedroom apartment to my larger one that I am
still in now. Things were really looking good except for one situation.
I
had bought a 1974 Chevy convertible with a 454 motor in 1981. When I
got it I had the whole interior redone and had it painted a bright red. I
loved that car and did that whole reupholstering and painting thing
every 3-4 years. I really took good care of it but in 1999 I had to file
bankruptcy and when I renewed my insurance the premium more than
doubled. I wasn’t aware that insurance companies could base your car
insurance on your credit score. I had never been late or missed a
payment in 37 years with the company and I had a good driving record but
that didn’t mean a thing.
As things happen the
car started to fall apart and I didn’t have money to fix things and
along with it gas started to go up about that time. It was a hard
decision but I had to make a decision about selling it and so I started
placing ads around. Within two weeks of moving into this apartment I
sold the car for a lot less than it was worth but I had no choice.
Things
worked out for awhile as we had public transportation with the bus
stopping right out front and it made stops wherever I wanted and needed
to go. It didn’t last long as the economy started to tank and because of
that and the Victoria Park Association not wanting buses running by
their million dollar homes the bus route was eliminated.
Adding
insult to injury it was then that I was hit with PAD that made it very
difficult for me to walk up to Sunrise where I could catch the bus . I was lucky as Allen was willing to take me shopping and doing other
errands on Thursday and going to the movie on Fridays. He also goes to
the theatre with me. One of the residents who lived here lent me her car
whenever I needed it before she moved away to live with her daughter. A
couple of other people were kind enough to do the same but that all
stopped and now I had/have to depend on TOPS, a public transportation
for people not living near a bus, being elderly or unable to walk to a
bus stop. They charge $3.50 each way but it also involves a lot of
wasted time. My health insurance company supplies transportation to
doctors free but there are strings attached.
All
in all I have had to depend on Allen and still do but aside from that I
am sort of a ‘prisoner’ here at Gateway but I’m lucky that I live in
such a great ‘prison’.
When, not if, I win the
lotto the first thing on my list will be to buy a car and pay 2 years
insurance up front! Or, I mean if I am asked, with my 20th Leap Year
birthday coming up in a year (Monday, February 29, 2016) I might just
tell people I would love a car, and a year’s insurance paid,---well they
asked (and even if they don’t I am not too shy NOT to suggest it as a
gift!)
I still miss THAT car!