Last Christmas, my friend‘s father-in-law gave her husband $25,000 to buy a new vehicle, so they could get rid of what the father-in-law thought of as their “death trap,” an older full-sized van. No mini about it. He thought it wasn’t safe for his darling three grandchildren, ages 8, 8, and 9.
My friend and her husband kind of chuckled at this extravagant gift, yet to them, it wasn’t really all that extravagant, considering they live in a half-million dollar house and the van is their fourth vehicle, if you include the pick-up truck they keep around the haul their boat to their summer home on Hood Canal.
At the time, she confided to me that when they purchased the new vehicle, they intended to give us their old van (a.k.a. The Deathtrap).
Now, almost a year later, they finally purchased a new vehicle, a fancy-schmancy SUV. Today, my husband picked up The Deathtrap, filled it with $40.00 worth of gasoline and parked it in our driveway.
A bit later, he went out to run errands. He noticed the odor of gasoline. He called me outside to observe the large puddle of gasoline under The Deathtrap. The gasoline that cost almost $2.00 a gallon.
Supposedly, the mechanic fixed this problem a month ago, and they should take care of the problem today. No charge.
But, what is wrong with this picture?
Double-income family, earning well over $300,000 per year (probably a whole lot more), owners of four vehicles, three houses (they have a rental, their main house and their summer house), a boat and three bunnies.
Our family, earning well under $100,000 (ha, if we made $100,000 that would mean one of us had died and the life insurance check arrived), owners of one vehicle, one home, and three kitties.
Who should get a brand new vehicle? Who should have a father who can write a check for $25,000 at Christmas time?
Okay. Just checking.
And yes, I guess that makes me ungrateful to have The Deathtrap leaking gasoline all over my driveway. But really, I am grateful. Won’t it be exciting to cheat death every time I take my children somewhere? Think of the adrenaline!
Actual Unretouched Photo 
I’m still trying to figure out if I really do like things that come cheaply at a thrift store, other peoples clothes, used books with the ‘good parts’ already underlined, not having a car of my own, and living in a rental.
Or, have I just lowered my standards (which weren’t very high to begin with)?
Without a formal education, at least I don’t have to feel guilty for not being employed in my field.
Someday maybe I will burst out of my shell and DO something great that will bring in a bunch of money.
Or, not.
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Congrats on the new deathtrap!
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My dad used to have a “death trap.” We called it the “kidnapper van.” LOL!
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You have such a way with words. I can’t believe the “death trap” wasn’t good enough for them but they think it is perfectly fine for you to haul around numerous children. Looking on the bright side I survived many a “death trap” that my parents had and I even have one dangerously close myself. – Cheryl
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