SCRATCH -N-DENT...'cept no dent...yet

It's been 2 years and one month. I got my baby brand new. I've kept her clean, oil changed regularly, tires inflated to the exact PSI, fluid levels full and always garaged. Yes, I admit, I drive like an asshole at times, but I know she likes that. She loves the excitemnet of getting me to work on time when I've spent a little too much time blogging in the morning before leaving the house. I truly believe the love affair is mutual. She's sleek, shiny, handles like a true German machine and loves to pretend she's back home on the autobahn, cruising with her sunroof open and CD player blasting something with a colorful dance beat on a hot, sunny summer day.

Ok, she's only a Jetta, but she has great aspirations for when she grows up.

With it being obvious how I feel about her, you can just imagine how I felt when I walked up to get in during my lunch break one day two weeks ago and saw the scratch. Someone had keyed my baby! I can't be sure, but I'm almost positive that it happened in the parking lot at work. This actually made me feel even worse...to think that someone I work with may have done this. It almost had to be someone who works there because the parking lot is very remote from any streets. She was parked in a lot that only employees park in and there would never be anyone just walking by. it's just too far from anything else and right next to the building. With over 200 people employeed where I work, there are many I don't know who work on the factory floor, and likely don't know me. For now I prefer to believe it was one of them. As far as I know, I have no enemies at all, at work or otherwise. I just don't want to believe it could have been someone who knows me.

I felt sick. The scratch starts at the front fender, inches from the headlight and goes all the way to the back fender and ends just above the tire. This was obviously intentional. There is even a break in the scratch where the sideview mirror sticks out. Then it starts again on the door and continues back.

I know she can be fixed but at a cost to me. In an effort to keep my insurance rates low, I set my deductible at $500.00 when I took out the policy. The repair estimate came in at $1200.00! Her entire driver's side has to be repainted for the job to be done right. I owe her that much, don't I? She's been so good to me. I know she feels scarred and ugly when she goes out now. I'm sure other cars...newer ones, probably look at her and sneer now. "She's damaged goods, showing her age." I'm sure that's what they are saying as she rolls past them. Bitches.

This will not make me love her any less. In fact, to try and help cheer her up, I'll be taking her to Chicago this weekend. My 10 year old daughter, Robin and I have had a "daddy/daughter" weekend in Chicago planned since Christmas. So, Friday after work I'm treating Jetta to a new set of tires and on Sunday morning she and I and Robin are hitting the freeway and not stopping till we see the beautiful Chicago skyline ahead. By then, I'm sure I'll be ready for another Starbucks and we'll both need to use the potty.

See you all when we return!