This is Elektra.

She is the unofficial mascot of my car and has ridden around in the cup holder for the past nine years next to Diet Coke cans, loose change and once a baby quail I rushed to the bird rescue center. Mechanics, car wash workers and passengers always looked at her a little strangely and looked at me stranger still.

I never minded and neither did Elektra. She was my copilot and a bad ass and didn’t care what anyone else thought because she had places to go and things to see.

I pulled her out of the box of “car junk” this morning and noticed that she is looking a bit mangled and her arm is missing. It is probably still in the cup holder. I made a mental note to look for it and told my husband that I hope it doesn’t get tossed out when they clean all of the glass out of the car.

That is when I got “The News.”

Elektra won’t be getting her arm back and my car won’t be coming home.

The insurance adjuster called my husband to let him know the car was indeed totaled.

She was going to need a new roof, new hatchback, new back doors, new windshield, new back windows and that was before they started trying to pull out all of the dents. They just couldn’t justify the effort and the cost.

So that is that.

The end of an era. My Space Toad, my Red Ninja, my Fake Out, my Juke. We had a good run. I am not the best when it comes to navigation or mechanical things but I do love to explore and venture off of the beaten path. I never hesitated while behind the wheel of this car, never questioned if she would break down or leave me stranded somewhere with no cell service. I knew she would keep me safe and get me home and that gave me the confidence to expand my boarders and make my world a bigger place.

We had many more adventures ahead of us. She was supposed to retire gracefully, years from now covered in beach sand and Spanish Moss.

In the end she did what she always did. She made my life easier by taking the impact of the tree limb alone and not allowing anyone else’s car to be hit. And I thank her for that. I thank her for all of the good times and grand adventures. For being there when I needed to drive just to drive, to think about everything and nothing all at the same time. For letting me cry big ugly tears after a long hard day, for not judging me when I cursed at other drivers, and for having great acoustics and allowing me to be a rock star if only on my way to work.

Elektra will be retired.

I will find a nook for her and her one arm to hang out in and I will smile when I catch sight of her. A new mascot will be chosen for a new car. New adventures will be had but my loyal and trusty Juke will never be forgotten.

Thanks for everything my good car. I am going to miss you.