Dad’s Midlife Crisis Cars — The Mazda
My dad’s midlife crisis took a turn … for the worse. The Mazda. Not sure what type this less-than-trustworthy steed was; suffice it to say, he purchased it for a bargain, as it had a damaged rear end. So, the Mazda became the butt of many car jokes from my friends.
Not to be confused with our current Mazda, whom we call Antoinette; a most wonderful car to drive. She even reminds me when I’m speeding, with a stern, “You are going over the speed limit.” She chimes with teeny-weeny orange cars on the rearview mirrors when I attempt to change lanes, and, lo and behold, there’s a car I haven’t seen. She chirps when I’m about to back out, and a car is passing. And the dear Nanny car virtually screams if I get anywhere near another car. Oh, and every morning she reminds me with beeping and a red dot on the image of my car in the rear cam that I’m too close to the garage door. She’s doing a good job of keeping my hubby out of his task of backseat-driving and making sure she doesn’t end up like my dad’s old Mazda.
The plight of our old Mazda must have become legend in the world of Mazdas, passed down from generation to generation along the Mazda factory assembly line. And so we come to 2018, when Antoinette was born, with her abundant safety features, hopefully never to experience the shame of Dad’s old metal “bargain” with the battered rear bumper from 50-years ago.
Hence, here’s the poem …
A reblog, in memory of my dad’s much-maligned Mazda.
An Ode to the Mazda
Now every time the battle-axe we release,
We pray:
Keep our Mazda running from police
Particularly today.
Grant us all green lights, for our brakes may fail,
And may thy Mazda’s effervescent light shine forth
At both head and tail.
Forgive us our blinkers, our wipers, the lot,
As we forgive those who are enemies and gripers
Of the Mazda we’ve got.
© L.M. Kling (nee Trudinger) 1982; updated 2020; 2022; 2026
Feature Photo: Behind Rick’s green machine (Cleo), the Mazda lurks © L.M. Kling (nee Trudinger) 1978
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For my Northern Hemisphere readers, it’s still the Summer Holiday time. Time to read more on the war against the fiend you love to hate: an overgrown alien cockroach, Boris.
Click on the links below:
The Lost World of the Wends
The Hitch-hiker
Mission of the Unwilling
Diamonds in the Cave
Or
Longing for more travel adventures? Dreaming of exploring Australia?
Read the T-Team’s Aussie adventures,
Click on the links below:
The T-Team With Mr. B: Central Australian Safari 1977
Trekking the T-Team: Central Australian Safari 1981
