When you live to be as old as dirt which is my age, you figure you must have seen it all. That’s why when I opened the kitchen door to step down three steps to the carport early Saturday morning, walked toward the driveway to go for my morning walk, noticed the empty space next to our pickup truck where the car was always parked, I wasn’t worried. Pretty must have parked it somewhere else, I thought. I looked around the front yard – both sides since we live on a corner lot – but decided I should go back in the house to double check with Pretty on the car’s whereabouts since I didn’t see it in any direction.
Pretty, still half asleep, had no clue. I stated the obvious. Somebody stole our car.
Thus, on the 14th. day of December, with only 17 days remaining in 2024, our year that will live in infamy had one final blow. We should never have agreed last week that 2024 had been a disastrous year and thank goodness it was behind us when there were 17 days left. Word to the wise: shut up. Life has a way of slapping you upside the head when you begin to make bold statements like that.
I won’t bore you with the police reports, Honda Link exploits, angst that we went through during the day Saturday trying to figure out how to cope with this fresher version of hell but will cut to the chase to say seven hours later we met two policemen in an abandoned construction site less than ten minutes from our house. One of them was dusting for fingerprints on the door handles, windows, steering wheel and seats of our 2018 Honda Odyssey which we had called our Grannymobile since we bought it in 2021 to be able to transport a second granddaughter.
Grannymobile found – contents lost
Two check books, two pay checks, Christmas gifts for friends and family, $35 in cash, small merchandise items for Pretty’s antique booths, phone chargers – all losses to chase around and down. But the emotionally charged missing things belonged to our granddaughters (five-year-old Ella and her sister Molly who will be three years old next month) who always felt at home on the second row of the Grannymobile with their favorite toys, blankets, small libraries of books and children’s videos. The car seats were their safe places, but Molly’s car seat had been stolen along with her beloved stuffed dinosaur that had seen better days.
When we saw the girls Saturday night, their parents had already told them about the stolen car so Ella was ready with her questions. How many “bandits” had taken the car? What did they look like? Why did they take it? All good questions that we couldn’t answer, but when we let the girls inspect the Grannymobile in their driveway, Molly’s first question was much more personal. Where are my toys? Did the police take my car seat?
Somehow in the recounting of the story of the stolen car, Molly was convinced the police took her car seat and Dino the Dinosaur. Nana tried to mollify Molly by assuring her we would get her a brand new car seat just like Ella’s, but Molly said she didn’t want a new one, she wanted her old one back. She said Naynay would make the police give it back. Of course I told her I would – I tried to unravel the confusion about the police and the “bandits” but in the end, that ship had sailed.
Stay safe during the holiday season. Car theft is alive and well and coming to a driveway near you, regardless of your age.
Please stay tuned.
I'll Call It Like I See It 
Comments
13 responses to “Drama in our Driveway, or what happened to the car?”
Oh, hell, I’m sorry. I know how kids can fix on some small, unfixable thing–I did it myself as a kid. Based on that sample of one, 100% of them do eventually move on.
Sending all best wishes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Five year old Ella jumped on the let’s forgive the bandits and move on bandwagon. I asked three year old Molly if she could forgive whoever stole her car seat. She shook her head emphatically and said, No.
Thanks for the sample of 1. We think the cupholders in her new car seat are helping her move on a little bit quicker.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Credit to the clever grandmothers who thought to put it in terms of forgiveness. My sample of one must’ve been, um, I don’t know, 200 years old before that came into the discussion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That would be clever grandmother Pretty. I was more with Molly on the hell no, I want my stuff back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, how weird, I’m sorry this happened to you. God keeps track of that sort of thing, you know, because He is still on His Throne, thankfully.
Missing all of you from Texas to S Carolina.
love rocky
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much – I am always happy to hear from you! Missing you from S Carolina to Texas, Rocky!
Love, Sheila
LikeLike
I’ve learned to never ask: What more can happen? The Universal Om always makes sure I find out. Gee, I’m sorry this happened to you two. It’s never a good time to find your car was stolen, but you had so much of your combined lives inside. I hope you and Pretty can resolve the rest of the mess without too much grief. I do feel sad for Molly, who is truly affronted!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Ann. The hits just keep on rolling, don’t they? Molly is truly affronted – and don’t bother to talk to her about forgiveness. She’s not interested.
LikeLike
Aww, poor Molly! Kids really know how to amp up unwarranted guilt.
This year can’t end soon enough, but then I really don’t want to know what 2025 has in store. Is it odd years or even ones you have no time for? Does it even matter anymore?!
Love you!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve always preferred even number years, but unfortunately I am misguided. Hopefully. I hope 2025 gets me on track. Love you!!
LikeLike
Poor Molly can’t catch a break – yesterday her dad had to borrow Ella’s car seat from her mother’s car and when her mom picked her up, Molly was furious that yet another car seat had been misplaced. She fussed and fussed and told her dad he needed to bring Ella’s car seat back!!
LikeLike
Can’t like this post cos it’s horribly sad. Sure, you got the car back but the personal stuff is hard! So sorry and hope 2025 hurries up and brings you joy and more luck. xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pretty has been at the bank this morning trying to sort the financial stuff, but we’re now hoping for 2025 to hurry along! We were grateful the Honda folks had a plan to retrieve the vehicle – could have been much worse.
LikeLike