The sun shined

Almost the only way to get the car, boat, motorcycle, etc. exactly the way you want it is to order it new. But, then you pay a premium price and take the massive first year depreciation hit. Once in a while, a great while, the stars align and you strike gold in the pre-owned market. But that’s very rare. And, it’s probably why I vividly recall the few times the wheel stopped at my number. The most notable example occurred shortly after I graduated college. I was pretty close to flat broke and a new car was out of the question. But, I got a burning desire for a specific car. It was a Firebird. The color was a metallic brown or bronze, kind of the color of a Japanese beetle wing. I don’t even know how I got that in my head because I cannot recall ever seeing a Firebird in that color. It may sound a little mundane but it wasn’t, especially if it was set off with a cream colored vinyl roof, which were very rad then. Trust me on this one, youngster. And, not any vinyl roof. It would be a half roof (the latter portion). This image was burned in my brain. Don’t ask me how. I had never seen one. I did need a car. But, my enthusiasm for looking had about the same magnitude as my bank account. One lunch hour, I took a walk around downtown. There was a big car dealer there at the time (believe it or not) and as I neared it, I pulled up abruptly. There, in the front row of the used car section, shining in all its glory was the car. I mean, THE car. The very one I had envisioned. Actually, it was even better, if that’s possible. Instead of the leading edge of the vinyl roof being cut straight across, it came to a subtle point, with a very cool arrow effect. Great nuance. No question about it, I had to have that car. If I had to beg, borrow or steal, I just had to. I did forgo the last option. But I did engage the first two. The odds of this kind of opportunity coming around again approached infinity. Fast forward. One of my favorite kayak makers came out with a new model. It was a bit radical and I was hesitant to pull the trigger. Besides, for some reason, this company had lapsed into a mode of incredibly unappealing choices in color. The only one that appealed to me is their Spiderman motif, a garish combination of bright reds and blues. I deliberated and deliberated. More conventional genres of boats had priority and I did nothing about this one. A model year and then some passed and the fire reignited. The selection of used ones was extremely meager, probably because this wasn’t a boat that would appeal to many. However, kayaks aren’t all that expensive and I’d be willing to bite the bullet for a new one. I am horrified to find that they’ve dropped the Spiderman option favoring one that looks like the surface of a stagnant pond and another that seems to depict a white rabbit that got run over while eating a raw egg. For months, I scour the country for used boats and retailers who might have some old inventory or demo kayaks. I can barely find the boat in the right size let alone one that’s in a color that wouldn’t make a vulture puke. I gave up. A couple friends of mine own a paddling shop and are had a demo event yesterday. One of them had to go to a funeral so I volunteered to help out. I got there early to help unload the trailer. There’s this bloated recreational boat the color of Bozo’s wig and that one in beige, a hue reminiscent of filing cabinets of the 70’s. And, so on. I’m working my way through the layers of mundane craft toward the center of the trailer when I’m pulled up short by a flash of brilliant blue and red. It can’t be. But, it is! Right model, but is it the right size? I’m almost afraid to look because of the potential letdown. Please, don’t tease me. I check and it is the right size, It’s THE boat! Better yet, it’s a demo. That is to say, cheap. A long time ago, I had a coach who would say, “The sun don’t shine on one dog’s ass all the time.” I’ve found that to be true, but I’m just glad yesterday it was my turn. Bu, it’s a little bigger than having your wish come true. It sets a tone that you’re on a roll. Today has been a great day.