How bad things can lead to good things

Aloha mai kākou!*

I am now deep into my “Third Act” of life. Everything I have been doing up until now feeds into the shape and form of what that is and will be. This includes events which seem unfortunate at the time, but with the force of one's own personality and deeply held beliefs and convictions can be transformed into something fortunate. The apparent crisis then becomes a blessing — unexpected and unplanned.

On July 1, on a perfectly lovely day, I went into town and decided to stop at Ross and see if they might have a few more inexpensive but to-my-taste small rugs for the much-better-for-only-a-little-more-$ place I had just moved into. For some reason I turned to the art stuff they now had at the front of the store instead of the back and decided to buy two nice drawing pads (“I really should draw more often" I told myself). So I wasn't in the store for very long. I returned to the parking lot where I had parked well in the middle surrounded by almost zero other vehicles. As I headed in that direction I saw something was off and I screamed “NO! NOT MY TRUCK!”

And this is what I found.

After the cops came, they said to try and pull my truck out – and apart from – her vehicle. With the sound of screeching metal I haltingly did so and drove straight into a free parking spot directly across from the incident. Now, much time was spent on the phone with State Farm (which happened to also be her insurer). After everyone else had left, I went to start my truck and it would not. So apparently not just body damage had occurred.

Now it had to be towed. The tow had to be approved by the insurance company and I was in shit while the perpetrator of the crime was probably safe at home having a nice soothing cocktail commiserating on her own loss while amongst her dearest friends.

Then the drama of the insurance settlement began as the vehicle could not be driven directly to a body shop for appraisal the following Monday morning. This was the Wednesday before the July 4th holiday weekend, so dealing with no drivable car and the claims department now using the dreaded words "TOTAL LOSS" because of the age of my vehicle, decisions were going to need to be made. State Farm had a rental available for me almost immediately (a big newer Ford F150!) and I was able to accept that with only a $50. deposit.

Meanwhile, I already knew I was not surrendering my beloved "Lil' Red Truck" to any storage yard to be assessed as only worth a few thousand dollars. I had just spent nearly $1000. on a new radiator and passenger side door handle only one week prior! It had four new tires less than a year old and still under warranty.

And, most importantly, was my personal history and connection to this vehicle that could never be replaced or replicated.

For those of you who don't know, this truck belonged to my Dad and lived only in Indiana until I took possession of it after his passing. He told me (and my sister Alice separately) on the phone the night before his death that he wanted me to have it. In the winter of 2015 Alice authorized my taking possession of it and also released enough funds from his estate so that I could drive it across the country and ship it to Maui, where I registered and insured it (yes, with State Farm, because Dad had). I was able to leave it there safely parked in Kula at Pacific Motors until I returned in the Fall to attend UH Maui studying GIS and Hawaiian ethnobotany for four months. After that, the Lil' Red Truck was picked up and dropped off by PM at the airport every time I left and returned.

I was able to have a life here in Hawaii because of this truck.

So, after I had sent many current photos of my truck to the claims agent along with receipts for all recent work, they told me last Monday what they would offer if surrendered or kept. I immediately went to Kama'aina Motors where I used the $5000. (for non-surrender) to deposit on a new truck. I knew with over 200,000 miles (mostly from this very big Island of Hawaii) now on my old Ranger, I would have had to be considering buying another vehicle by next year – so, against my will and planning – I was pushed into this and am now the proud owner of a beautiful Nissan Frontier.

And, my beloved old Ranger will be towed to my excellent mechanic Patrick, of Kea'au Service in Kurtistown, next week for assessment to, hopefully, have it's own "Third Act" as my "farm truck" on my land doing the dirty work of clearing and landscaping while me and this new friend will work and travel together well into my next decade here in Hawaii as a teacher, gardener, designer and writer.

Love, to you all,

Pat

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*Googleʻs AI has decided this translates as “Greetings to all of us” which is perfectly acceptable.

P.S. If any of you who are contributing/donating financially to this subscription and are finding the $5. a month or the $50. annual expense a burden, please reach out to me via email. (ptratebas@gmail.com) I have discovered how to remove your financial information from the Stripe account that takes the funds so that you will not be charged.