The Stuff Cars Carry

I had no idea how many things were stored in my car until I purchased a new vehicle and had to clean the stuff out of the old one.  Beside the usual spare tire, the old Camry carried jumper cables still in the box, a cross crowbar, two umbrellas, a pair of binoculars for birding emergencies, a GPS, phone charger, Ipod cable, compass, two boxes of tissues, a map of Cape May, Vermont, the New York Adirondacks, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and written instructions on how to get to my girlfriend’s house in Rhode Island (there was no map for the state I live in).

Also, a notebook, 4 pens, a pencil for when the pens freeze, 2 flashlights, 1 all-weather jacket, 1 fleece vest, 2 pairs of cotton gloves, 2 dog leashes, my animal shelter volunteer badge, 1 empty water bottle, a small wallet with change for parking meters, 1 tin of Altoids, 4 packets of Handiwipes, 1 tube of Purell still brand-new because I forget to use it, 1 wispy straw paper without the straw, 2 plastic forks, and an all-purpose knife you could build a house with, just in case. A black feather, 1 large towel, a half-filled plastic bottle of Deep Woods Off, 1 tube of hand cream, a note from my husband saying “Have a good trip, I love you!” The Roger Tory Peterson’s Bird Guide, 3 expired discount coupons for the car wash, baseball caps from the Grand Canyon, Belize and a horse show. Also, the kitchen sink.

What it didn’t carry was the registration and insurance card, which I discovered the day before the Camry was to be traded in for a 2007 Subaru Legacy Wagon. Since I had just checked for these documents on the morning we went to the dealership, I can only surmise the dude evaluating the Camry for its trade-in value misplaced them. They made good on their reputation for customer service; however, and drove the Legacy to my house so I would not have to drive down one of New Jersey's  fabled highways with no documentation.

Now it’s time to move in to the station wagon, WITH A CARGO BAY.