In 2006, Jim (my husband) and I bought a 150 cc Kymco Motor Scooter. Construction occurred at the college where he worked, and employees were asked to park off campus. If one had a motorcycle or scooter, they could continue to park at the college. And so we invested in this delightful little gray motorscooter.

We took the motorcycle safety course, updated our licenses, and just like that, we had a new vehicle in the family. It was fun to ride. Even the cats enjoyed it, as long as it was parked.

Traveling in San Diego, a big city on the Southwest border of the United States, became an adventure. We never took it on the freeway, worried about cars, trucks, and the drivers. It was mostly used locally in Santee, where we lived. Every once in a while, I would take it on longer trips into areas of the city for dental or doctor appointments. I would have to allow double the time to get to my destination as I planned how to get from point A to point B without getting on the freeway. Taking the backroads gave me the opportunity to explore new areas of this big city.

After Jim’s death, I kept the scooter. I really liked riding it. When traveling, it would reside in my storage unit, hooked up to a trickle charger, and wait for my return. It gave me another way to navigate the city. I could safely leave my rig at the campground and head out on the scooter. It was definitely easier to park.

Last year I had an accident on it. I hurt my leg, which healed in no time. I became cautious about the scooter and a little hesitant to ride it. I began to think of selling it. Last year, on my return to San Diego, I thought about selling it but was not ready.

Even after all these years, I still have an emotional attachment to things I shared with Jim. And so it is with the scooter.

I decided to try again this year, and I succeeded. I advertised it on OfferUp, and surprisingly, there was a lot of interest. I met Alonso, who was willing to work with me to buy the scooter. A week ago, he came to my storage unit, looked at the scooter, and took it for a ride.

I knew instantly this was the person to become the new owner of this sweet gray scooter. We talked. He wanted to do the whole transfer process legitimately. Finally, we closed the deal. This past Saturday, Alonso and I met at the DMV office at AAA of Southern California. It was a wait of about two hours. With everything complete, it was time to bid farewell to the scooter.

Almost everything that was part of “our” life has been rehomed. Each item has a story to tell about the item, about Jim and me. Each time I meet someone who has bought an item, it becomes a new story. And so it is with Alonso and the scooter.

Alonso was excited to have a Kymco scooter. He used to own one and was excited to find another one. I was excited because he appeared genuine in his interest.

When Alonso departed, he had full motorcycle gear on. That also made me happy. It is a tough world out there on the streets of San Diego when you are on a motorcycle or scooter. He texted me when he arrived home. Yay.

Although a bit wistful, my heart feels joy, knowing that this scooter’s life will go on with a good and true new owner.

Today, I am thankful for all the years Jim and I had this scooter in our lives. Today I am thankful for Alonso who is the proud new owner of a much loved scooter.

Today, I am thankful.