Have you ever had a car stolen? Know someone who has? Can you please share your story with me? My therapist says it might help. Here’s why.
The other morning, I stepped out my front door and instantly noticed something was different. I had the same feeling when one of my coworkers changes their hairstyle or shaves their facial hair. You know something is up; you’re just not sure what it is. I kept coming up with scenarios. “Did someone cut my grass?” “Did the house across the street just get painted?” Then I realized, the “difference” was in between my yard and the neighbor’s house. My car was gone!
Still, I refused to believe it. I went into rationalization mode. “It’s not gone. I just parked it somewhere else. But where?” “No, that’s not it. My wife is playing a practical joke on me.” “I must be in a dream.” (I had just seen Inception the night before.)
But no. It wasn’t any of those things. Dude, where is my car?
In a fog I called the police, filed out the reports, called the insurance, did the steps needed, but all I could think about was, why? My car was a commuter car and it was pretty beat up. It needed new tires, had close to 180K miles (which means it needed a new timing belt), had tires that were so bald Mr. Clean would have been jealous, and it had no radio.
Who would want a car like that? I didn’t even want a car like that – but I needed it and thus my frustration and outrage.
So, can you help me? I’d love to hear from you; your thoughts, your stories, your suggestions on what to do. And perhaps your stories might help others find comfort should they ever find themselves standing at the doorstep, looking at an empty space where their car used to be, wondering “Why?”