The Bittersweet Viewing of a Naked Posterior

Not mine, mind you (I know- shocking, right?). Nor even a small child's, which is most often the case in these instances. No, the denuded posterior to which I refer is that of my car's. Let me explain...

I got a call around 1530 that my car would be ready for pick-up by 1600. So I took the lovely little silver-blue VW Beetle back to Enterprise, and they drove me over to the collision center. I did my little paperwork thing, then headed out to find my baby. And there she was, all fixed up and clean (they even scrubbed her insides- how's that for customer service?). And, sadly... missing her stickers.

Now it's not like I had a plethora of adhesives on there. I had three, and I fully expected to lose at least two of them (since they were so near the bumper). Those being my subtle Gorge Performance G, and my equally subtle little "Why do people with closed minds always open their mouths?" rectangle (thanks Adam!). I was a little down about losing them, but hey... life happens. What I did not expect to lose was the crowning glory of my gas-tank door: my fairy frog prince. I have had that sticker since I got my car, almost ten years ago. It was given to me by my college friend Laurie May (now Laurie Coyle) as part of a housewarming gift when I moved into my first solo-apartment, and I loved it. I always got compliments on it, and it helped me pick my car out of a lineup (an important trait when one is driving a Civic). But when I rounded the corner and saw my car- gone. I felt a little tightness in my throat, then went back into the office.

"Excuse me," I said softly, not fully trusting myself. "I know it's a long shot, but... I don't suppose you kept the door to my gas tank? With my sticker?"

The young gentleman who had the lead on my car went out to to check in the shop. He came back and explained that actually it was my little door- but because they'd had to paint it they'd had to remove the sticker first.

"Oh. That's okay. Thanks anyway."

I used to joke that the fairy frog prince was my hope- that he represented the One waiting for me amidst all the mundane frogs. So I guess it's appropriate, now that I've married my One, that he should have gone on to his next incarnation. But I'm still going to miss him.