WAS IT JUST ME, or did February take FOREVER to come and go? It was the month that wouldn't end! All that snow, while pretty at first, ended up dragging us down. It's only within the past couple of days that I can back down my driveway without careening off of giant snowbanks.
In recent years, we've learned to generally dread February. Oh sure, it's Soup Husband Curt's birthday month, and this year my snow-lovin' husband got himself a big ole' blizzard to go with the hockey game I gave him. But four years ago last week was when Bubta had his stroke, and although we downplayed it, Strokiversary day this year was just not a great day, for several reasons...and that's all I'll say about that.
But the year before that - five years ago - our Jeep was stolen from Curt's work parking lot in DC. I was at home with a 7-week old baby Peezer. Curt was working for a community-based hospital in what was then a dicey part of the city. As such, the parking lot had "security cameras" and patrols to discourage the ne'er-do-wells and scofflaws from thievery and other shenanigans.
Curt had arranged for the hospital president to meet with The Mayor Himself. It was snowing on that late February day, and, good skate that he is, Curt offered to drive the prez downtown in our 4x4. They walked out into the parking lot and headed towards where Curt was sure he'd parked the Jeep. Only it wasn't there. It became obvious that it had been stolen. The president, normally a very formal, dignified man, looked Curt in the eye and said, "I'm really sorry. Shit happens. Let's take my car if it's still here," which was the only time Curt had ever heard him "cuss."
After viewing security video that clearly showed our Jeep leaving the premises (so much for security!), Curt filed a police report, and caught a ride home from a sympathetic coworker.
Turns out, the venerable Jeep Cherokee Classic - the kind they don't make anymore - is a favorite of car thieves. It's rugged, which is important when you're 4x4-ing on the beach evading Johnny Law. It's also surprisingly easy to break into. All you need is a screwdriver in order to access the door lock AND the ignition! There are probably how-to videos on the internet. My kids could probably do it.
When we filed the insurance claim, the adjuster told us that 80% of cars are recovered within 30 days. If ours was not, then we would settle the claim and be able to buy a replacement. As the days turned into weeks, we started rooting for it to have been dismantled and sold for parts. We loved it, but figured we'd love it much less after some criminal had driven it for a month.
Naturally, it was located in the city on Day 28. We had it towed to a body shop because it was all
and all
and all
The repair estimate was significant, but of course just under the amount at which they would have totaled it. So, we had to have it repaired. It ended up looking, and driving, better than it had before our friends took it joyriding through the District.
We've been driving it ever since and you know what, it's been the steady workhorse of a vehicle it always was. It has over 170,000 miles on it and, owing to recent repairs, it had better keep going until at least 200,000.
Two amusing postscripts to the story: Shortly after we started driving it again, we received two notices of unpaid parking tickets. We were able to exonerate ourselves simply by checking the box (because it must not be uncommon) that indicated the vehicle was not in our possession at the time of the infraction. (These notices initially filled me with dread because I was several years into my fight with the DMV over another ticket.)
The second is that although they popped off the dash to take the radio, they left every one of Curt's CDs in the vehicle. I'm sure they were all, "Dude, leave the old white guy music here, man."
So that's why I'm always happy to welcome March to my calendar. It means February's in my rear view mirror, which is where I like it to stay.
