Back in April our poor car encountered a tree branch, and the back window didn't survive. Normally, this would be a pretty simple fix. Adam called the auto shop on base and they said they could either custom fit us with a new window for $1000 or search around for a used back tailgate. We opted for the used tailgate, as a new window was worth more than the value of the whole car. So Adam called the auto shop every day for a few weeks to check if they'd found a tailgate, and then every week, with no luck. We started to wonder if there were actually any junk yards in Japan.
As the time drew on our makeshift plastic window was performing well, and surprisingly watertight. I was mortified to drive our car around, but even the security guards on base had no safety problems with our plastic window. I had no ground to stand on, other than vanity. Boy, vanity can be so strong. I would have caved any day for that custom window, but I had no good reason.
I took it as a humiliating challenge. We were the ugliest car on our street, and certainly the ugliest car in Japan. You don't even see cars with a headlight out very often, a window out was just unheard of. Driving off base was a cultural experience all over again. As my skin got thicker, I started to watch for the the shocked stares or giggles from cars next to me.
Random pic of the girls out back,
because a whole post about cars would be boring ;)
Last week we finally got the news that Adam's knee will definitely keep us here for another six months. Water was starting to seep into the back and mold, so I had to find a solution or junk the car. I drove over to talk to the base mechanics before heading to a shop off base, and they handed me the same quote for a used tailgate. Yes, this is what we've been waiting for... this is what we want. 'You come back when you decide,' I'm told. I've decided! We decided six months ago! I want a used tailgate. 'Okay, I need a $100 deposit.' You've got to be kidding me....
So all this time it was just a simple miscommunication. Which is really quite perfectly appropriate for an experience here. We've found Japanese people to be incredibly polite and non-confrontational, and I think perhaps the auto shop guy didn't know how to communicate the need for a deposit over the phone to Adam. So he just politely reported that they had no tailgates each of the hundred times Adam called. ;)
The old me would have been still pretty embarrassed to drive around a patchwork car, but now I couldn't care less. It's been a great exercise in meditating on the real things I can be grateful for.
We've had a lot of lemons this year, but I'm trying to make lemonade out of each of them. This car has gifted me with some thicker skin, and I'm a much better person for it.
To make lemonade for the girls, last week I came up with the crazy idea to make them a pallet playhouse. They've been fixated on the idea of visiting our family and friends during the move, and we haven't quite broken it to them that we'll be here for a while longer. The girls and I are still going to try and fly space-available, but that's all very uncertain. So I thought it would be fun to have something new to enjoy in the backyard. Or maybe this is just to distract me. ;) Either way, Adam was very nice to help, even though he thinks it's nuts. :D
I love it :D
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