1994年モノの主人のランドクルーザー。今度こそ潮時かと引退を覚悟したことも幾たびか。エンジンが完全にダメになり、98年モノのエンジンを購入し心臓移植したのは5年前。バージニアからの引越し時には、もう少し燃費のよい車に買い換えようというキャンペーン（首謀者はわたし）も無駄骨に終わった。引越しトラックから降ろされたときには電気系統が死んいて、引越し一番病院通い。その後は、老体に鞭打ち走り続けておりました。でも最近ガレージから出て行く主人を見送るとき、不穏な音がしていたので、引越し後入会を先延ばしにしていたAAA（アメリカ版JAF）に入会手続きをしたのが2週間前。会員カードが届いたのが先週の木曜日。翌日の金曜日、玄関のチャイムが鳴るのでドアを開けると、いつもならガレージから家に入ってくる主人がカバンを持って立っている。とっさに車がやられたのだと思い、「ランクル、死んじゃったの？」と私。「うん、歩いて帰ってきた。」と主人。聞いてみれば、すぐそこまで来たらものすごいヘンな音がするので、近くのモールの駐車場に泊めて歩いてきたとのこと。モクモク煙がでて、下からは緑の血を流血させているとのこと。こりゃあ今度こそご臨終だと思い、さっそくどの車にしようかカタログをめくる私。しかしながら、ハイウエイの上じゃなくてよかったよ。すぐそこのモールまで来られて。なかなか配慮ある最期であったと感謝する私。翌日土曜日、牽引を頼んで近くの修理工場までひっぱっていてもらう。届いたばかりのAAAのカードでタダ。そこで死亡報告書作成の運びかと思えば、なんとたったの$180で退院してきたからびっくり。ランクル様の生命力と運のよさには感服いたします。ペットは主人に似るというけれど、車もかもね。
This is my husband's 1994 Land Cruiser. We had numerous moments when we were prepared to say good bye to him in the past. Five years ago, he had to go through a heart transplant, since his engine was unsalvageable. He received a 1998 engine. When we moved from Virginia, there was a local campaign to get a new more energy-efficient car (the chair was me), which did not see a result. As soon as he arrived here in Torrance on the car transporter, his electric system was completely dead. After he got CPR to restart breathing in the local garage, he has been bringing my husband over to this office and back to home every day. However, I noticed a little weird noise coming out of him these days when he leaves the garage, so I finally mailed in the AAA application two weeks ago, which I have been procrastinating for some time. We received the membership card last Thursday. Friday evening, someone rang the door bell. I opened the door to find my husband standing there with his attache case in hand. I quickly figured out that it was the car and asked him, "Did Land Cruiser die?" "Yes, I walked home," he said. According to him, there was a disturbing noise coming out of the car, and he parked it in the nearby mall and walked home. He saw heavy smoke going up from the front and green liquid dripping down below. That night I was leafing through car catalogues for our new car,thinking how lucky the problem did not occur on the highway. We need to be thankful that Land Cruiser got my husband safe here in the neighborhood before it died honorably. The next day, which is Saturday, we called AAA for a tow truck to move the car to a nearby garage. Of course, it was free for a member. I was totally prepared it will be announced officially dead there. Surprise, surprise...it came out up and running after my husband paid the mechanic $180. This Land Cruiser is simply a die-hard. I guess, I need to show more respect for him from now on.
