van buddies

It's off - white in color (only because of the dirt that has accumulated on its surface) and often has a light out. The rubber outlining the windshield has come loose and often likes to flap and pound mercilessly while I'm driving on the free way. There's a big stain on the carpet in between the two front seats and old stickers cling for dear life on the walls throughout the car. The DVD player has been kicked off (courtesy of the younger siblings) and has left behind some pretty looking red and green wires for decoration.

The heater usually won't kick on until I'm already parking my car and there's a penny stuck inside the CD player that makes listening to my coveted BYU Vocal Point CD impossible. The windshield cleaner in the back sprays inside, rather than actually doing what it's supposed to do and the passenger window will roll down, but not always up.

The "check engine" light pops on every few days for a visit and the temperature gauge will often get too close to the red, "hot" line. Every once and a while the speedometer will decide it's going to give me a heart attack by saying I'm going 20 mph over the speed limit - and sometimes it'll even trick me into thinking I'm going 110 mph on a 70 mph free way.

I guess you could call this car... unique.

I believe that this vehicle that causes quite the road rage and headaches is punishment for my driving sins. The mercy from the parentals had finally run out and I was destined to drive around in this dirty, rubber flapping van (after having the chance to drive two nicer vehicles - which is another story that most likely will not be shared at a later time).

It's great for showing off to all them cute college boys, ya know? (not)

In order to park in the parking lot at Carriage Cove you have to buy a parking pass. And in order to get that parking pass you have to share what kind of vehicle you have.

I briefly contemplated saying that I had a super nice red sports car with racing stripes... but then she asked for my registration. Reluctantly I handed her the old piece of paper and she wrote down all of the information on my Chevy Venture white van and handed me the little yellow parking sticker.

It didn't take long for me to notice that literally nobody else in the Carriage Cove parking lot owned a van (I've even circled around to the boys side to double check). Nobody.

What single college student owns a van??

I'm always on the lookout for other people roaming around outside to make sure they won't see me getting inside of my van. Upon being spotted, I usually walk in the opposite direction or even past my car so as not to give away the owner of the ONLY van in the parking lot. After parking the van at the end of the day I see just how fast I can get inside so nobody catches me shamefully getting out and locking the door.

After a few months the shameful walks and embarrassed feelings were beginning to subside. It took a while to convince myself that "it's just a car... it gets you from A to B, be grateful it works!" or "you're just getting a head start on the whole van mom, thing."

Eventually the August contracts had ended and the old people moved out and the new ones moved in. That meant new cars in the Carriage Cove parking lot.

And one day... I spotted it. The dark grey van. Parked. In the Carriage Cove parking lot.

After the first sighting my hopes were peaked - was there really another van in the parking lot?! I quickly told myself that it was probably just a one time thing... somebody's mom was helping them move all of their stuff into their apartment or something.

But I saw it the next day. And the next day. And the next! Needless to say I was beyond excited to see a second van in the parking lot. It didn't take long to notice that the quality and state of this van was much, MUCH better than the one in my current possession...

But oh well! I'm just excited to have a van buddy to keep me company!!!