Bluebird, bluebird, calling me far away
I've been longing for you.
Bluebird, bluebird, what do I hear you say?
Skies are turning to blue, I'm like a flower that's fading here,
Where ev'ry hour is one long tear.
Bluebird, bluebird this is my lucky day.
Now my dreams will come true.
Well... I sold my car. Bluebird, the two seater Smart car is currently in West London, supplimenting what is now a small fleet, previously made up of two vans in a builders family business. The verse above is part of a song called 'Bye Bye Blackbird', and if I'm really clever, I'll be able to link each verse to one of my 4 part blog posts because... it seems appropriate. Bluebird is the positive in the song - it's home, family, freedom, and love.
I was sad to see it go, the car once belonged to my Grandfather and was his pride and much joy towards the end of hs life. That car's since taken me round the nation on work and social trips; gigs; holiday; demon slaying; relocations; and more. Smarts are great cars for those people who when they're honest, have lifestyles that call for nothing more - they're nippy, responsive, comfortable, cheap to run and just no hassle.
When I first brought the car home, I ran up to the loft and started digging through boxes of old toys and stuff. I was looking for a small red box that you held infront of your eye. Inside, a negative sat against the white base, which you held up to the light so it would illuminate the picture and you'd see the photograph of my grandparents inside. They were at a meal, looked like a ball room dancing kind of occasion, and they're eating a very english meat and two veg in their poshest clothes. They both look really happy there, it's just how I remember them being when ever I go see them. I found it amongst the Visionaries and Ring Raiders - I probably used the little angled red object as an extra fighter plane in my air armada of Manta Force toys at some point and it ended up in that box. It since lived in my car, in the draw below the ash tray and when no-one's looking and I'm sat waiting in a carpark or some place... I often sneak a look and spend a few moments remembering my Grandad.
So yeah.... I'm sad to see it go.
The money is helpful, because it gives me a little to live off while I look for another job. This is important, because I quit my job. I really really want to spend money on a new computer - I've been telling everyone who will (or wont) listen for about a year now that Feb/Mar 07 is the *best* time to buy a new PC, and definately not before. I've been holding my PC together with gaffa tape to stave off replacing it, and shared the dreams of computers I'm drooling over when I saw their 'Coming Soon' publicity. My predictions on hardware have been bang on the money so far, and I still think now's the time, but I've waited this long, and while a PC bought now will get the most time out of it, personally speaking it's no better a time to be spending for anything, let alone a top spec PC. As soon as I'm hooked up with a source of income, a new PC is my only goal but I'm keeping the card in the wallet for now - the car will go to feeding and sheltering me before anything else.
After that, it'd be nice to start making some savings, start a pension, and pay off debt - it's time I started having grown up finaces.
I know I know... I'm getting old.
So while I didn't want to sell Bluebird, ever, it would have to happen one day, and it's not going for the sake of a computer - I'll need the savings for the next month or two to live, and I'd stopped driving a while ago because the cost of insurance was just too much and I don't really need a car anyway.
In a month or two... or three or four... I'll buy that flagship computer and on it, I'll place the little red view peice and remember Grandad when I sit down at the end of each day to join my friends online. And I'll still miss my little car :)
__
Phil
