Goodbye to an old friend

Ten years and ten months. It's the longest relationship I've ever been in, and quite frankly, the most drama-free, functional, reliable one I've been in thus far. Today, that relationship came to an end, and all I keep thinking is...

I ain't shedding a tear!

Goodbye, TicTac. You were a wonderful car and you've followed me from Berkeley, Los Angeles, Chicago, back to Los Angeles, and to your final resting place in San Francisco. Sorry for leaving you outside when it was hailing, for spilling boba on your seats, and for ignoring that weird faucet light that supposedly warned me about something engine-related. You were a good friend, but I won't miss you. Because you were a ddong cha (poop car).

On December 21, 2003, I bought my very first car. From the entire experience, I realized my decision-making is a simple model driven mostly by how easily I'm able to be manipulated by my dad.

Flashback to December 2003...
Me: Dad, I need a car.
Dad: Okay, what car do you want?
Me: I want a superfly BMW 3-series.
Dad: I'll double whatever you have for the down payment, and pay for your monthly payments until the day you graduate. After that, the rest of the payments are on you. So choose wisely.
Me: ... Okay, I'll get an Acura RSX.

Flashback to May 2005...
Dad: Give me back my credit card and car payments start now.
Me: I don't even get a grace period?!
Dad: No. You had plenty of time.

Flashback to May 2007...
Mom: I'm sorry.
Me: For what?
Mom: I drove your car today.
Me: And?
Mom: And I realized you have a really crappy car.
Dad: Don't tell her that, she'll believe you. Connie, you have a nice car.

Flashback to September 2009...
Me: I want a new car.
Dad: Whatever new car you get is not going on my insurance. You can keep your current car on my insurance for as long as you have it, though.
Me: Huh.
Dad: Do you still want a new car?
Me: Nope.

Flashback to June 2011...
Me: I want a new car.
Dad: Whatever new car you get is not going on my insurance.
Me: Why is this still working on me?!?

Flashback to June 2014...
Me: I want a new car.
Dad: Whatever new car you get is not going on my insurance.
Me: I don't care! I don't care! It's embarrassing to drive this ddong cha!

Flashback to July 2014...
Me: Dad, I got into a car accident.
Dad: Congratulations!
Me: What?
Dad: Wait, are you hurt?
Me: No.
Dad: Was it your fault?
Me: No.
Dad: Congratulations! You said you wanted a new car. This is great!
Me: I... guess...
Dad: Oh, and I'm going to cancel your insurance.