To the Editor,
Recently, I noticed that two center caps on my 84 Olds’ hubcaps were missing. The hubcaps were still there, which seemed weird; maybe they just didn’t have the right tool or got spooked doing the deed?
It was kind of ironic, as I had only really noticed them a few days before that. My husband bought the car a few years back; we spent too much for it and put a lot of work into it, but we liked the idea of something old school, as we’ve had issues with newer vehicles having computer issues that never seemed to get fully resolved.
Anyway, it gets me to the grocery store and around town for errands, and that’s all I really need.
I was a bit irritated, of course, but it was also somewhat amusing; I do get some compliments on the car, as it looks pretty good from a distance. If you look closely, however, it has obviously been wrecked; the front quarter panel and the hood have both been replaced with a slightly different color. Inside, you can see that the steering column was also replaced; the cruise control doesn’t work and some other electrical issues are still unresolved. There’s upholstery damage, too.
It has multiple issues, actually, and many of them haven’t even been addressed—and maybe never will. We don’t have the spare cash to do anything substantial—including fixing the ac. Like a lot of things in this world, it looks good on the outside. I suppose it’s main worth (other than transportation for me) would be parts.
So, all in all, it’s not that great of a car, even if it is a “classic.” I like it, and I’ve grown used to it, and it’s the only car I have—and can afford—so I’d like to keep it. However, I’ve accepted that in this period of time, there are seemingly more and more people who, despite the jobs that are out there, prefer to make their money via criminal activity. Some of them may eventually decide that my desire to keep my personal property might conflict with their desire to have it.
As the outlaws on Gunsmoke used to say, “I’m gonna get my fair share of that ___!” Whether it was land, money, livestock—we still have that problem, right? So, I know that someday I might wake up and my big, blue (mostly), 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale will be gone.
I won’t hand it over willingly, but I also won’t allow my peace of mind to be ruined over the fear of material loss. I know that I’m an incredibly blessed person and that as long as I’m doing right, I’ll have what I need—now and in the hereafter. There is nothing that I cannot live without—except my Faith. Since my right to believe is Divinely-bestowed, as long as I don’t give it up willingly, I know it can’t be taken from me by any being in the cosmos.
Barbara Gay
Clinton, MO
