I'm not good at saying goodbye. More often than not i usually cry my heart out. Some people say, maybe it's easier to say "see you soon" or "til next time". Maybe it is. But in my case, i dont think there will be a next time. I just hate saying goodbye. Even if it's to a car.

Yes. We're selling our car. My husband's car, to be exact. But i drive it to work every day. My husband drives my car. We figured it's more economical that way. I live 3km away from my office (though on good days, it takes 15 minutes to get to work and on bad days... pheeww.. once, it took me 40 minutes! - i hate the traffic!), while my husband works some 40-50 km away from home. So he drives my Wira and I, his Honda.

Our Honda carries a lot of memory for us, me and Hubby. Yes, it's an old car. Come next year, the car will be a decade old, though Hubby just bought it in 2003. And yes, there were many times we (mostly Hubby actually) had headaches when Honda had problems. But the memories? Plus the satisfaction of pressing the pedal of that 2.0 engine. Mind my technical knowledge about cars. All i know is that it's a 1996 made 2.0 Honda Accord. Dont ask me about horsepower, V-Tec engine or the likes. I wouldnt know. I just know it's a good car to drive.

Hubby bought the car from his boss when his boss decided that the car will be too small for him, his wife and his 4 kids. We work in the same company then, me and Hubby. He had just been transferred back to HQ after spending a year in Miri (or was it Bintulu, i get confused of those 2, always). At first I thought he was a new staff, later on I find out that he has been working for the company for 3-4 years, so I actually came later than him. And i was leaving the company already.

We had a short... shall i say, courtship. Funny thing is, though our department was just beside each other, we never really had a proper conversation, until he said hi through the network. Yes, that's what technology can do to you. ;-). He seemed so different from the person i know, officially that is. So we began "talking" in July 2003. First through the network, then the telephone.

I was then frustrated with my work. I was not born to be a programmer. Nor can i be now. As luck have it, i was offered another job in a bigger company where i am currently working with. I guess it was my going away that sped things a "little". We had our first date on October 4th 2003. First by having breakfast at that restaurant behind the workshop while waiting for my Wira to be serviced,(i know, it's soooooo unromantic, isnt it? But i thought, it's kinda cute seeing him sleepy eyed and all accompanying me for breakfast) and later on in Subang Parade. It was clumsy, as all first dates usually are. But i nearly fell off my chair when he made his intention clear. I thought wow! This guy has guts!

Exactly a week after that, on October 11th, was my last day at the company. We had a sports day then. And it was kinda our first "public appearance" together. If you can count him sitting beside me in the stadium as a public appearance together, that is. It was also the day he is supposed to get his car, the Honda. As if I was not self-conscious enough with the fact that he is sitting beside me in front of all our colleagues, he casually asked me if I would like to go home (as in balik kampung) with him and his new Honda. Again, i nearly fell off my chair. Strangely enough, i didnt really want to say No either. It seemed crazy then. It still seems crazy now, but i really didnt want to say No. I called my mom, I called my dad and stranger still, they both didnt object to my going home to his hometown.

Finally, I thought, what the heck.. Just go lah! If his family doesnt like me, i wouldnt be so broken hearted since it's not like I've fallen for him or anything like that. So with that thought in mind, i said yes. Though i regretted it on our way to Jelebu. I was so nervous i could jump out of the window!

But boy, it turned out soooooo well. The whole family is so warm. I feel accepted right away. And it was then that i first saw the soft side of him, the side i never saw in the office. The "home" side of him. And it was then, i fell in love with him.

The rest, is history. He met my family the next weekend after that. We got engaged on December 27th the very same year. Not even 3 months since our first date. And we got married on May 1st 2004. Yes, not even one year of knowing each other. Some 3 months after that, we celebrated Merdeka day with the big news, I was 5-weeks pregnant!

I got carried away.. didnt i?

My point is, Honda's first trip back to Jelebu was also MY first trip there. We definitely share the memory. And there was a lot more balik kampung trips after that, of course.

I wish we didnt have to let it go. But we do. Honda's getting old. And we have a lot more things to be concerned about, rather than worrying about paying for his next repair. We figured a new car will definitely need less attention, and worrying about. Like i said to Hubby, if God permits maybe one day we could afford another Honda Accord. Just like this one. A newer version of course. Dont you just love those new 2.4 Honca Accord? Hihi.. One day... Maybe 5.. Maybe 10 years from now. It will not hold the same memory, but it will share other good times with us. Definitely.

Oh well, we have to do what we have to do. Until Honda is taken away from us, I will enjoy every second driving that 3km to work. I know i will miss driving it.

I'm going to cry now.. It's just so sad!

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