PTERODACTYL OR WIND
Cindy Maddera
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I had just crossed over the border into Oklahoma and was cruising along at a brisk pace. The sun was bright and the highway stretched out in front of me through the flat plains of landscape. I was singing along with gusto to Lizzo blasting through my speakers when suddenly I felt a thump near the top front driver side of my car. I felt my car start tugging to one side and I struggled to keep it in the lane. I peered through the windshield to see what on earth was happening and you will never believe this, but a pterodactyl was clutching the side of my car in its talons. The large prehistoric bird had wrapped its claws onto a piece of plastic trim that fits alongside the windshield and it was flapping its leathery wings while a screech emitted from its open beak like mouth. I started screaming while taking evasive measures, like slamming on the breaks. The car fishtailed from side to side and smoke came off the tires. The pterodactyl was latched on tight and still screeching. I could feel the front tire start to lift off the ground so I sped up and jerked the wheel in the opposite direction. There was a loud popping sound or a thunk and the car plopped back down onto all four tires. I could see the pterodactyl fly up and away, the black plastic trim still clutched like a prize in its talon as it had popped free from my car. I sighed with relief, took a moment to calm my shaking hands and then proceeded south without further incident.
Okay. Here’s what really happened.
There is a strip of plastic trim that sits on either side of my windshield. It serves a purpose other than making the car look nice; it also protects the seam and seal on the windshield. A few years ago, I had that windshield replaced and when the guy doing the job put everything back together, he didn’t get the driver side piece on properly. So there was a gap at the top of the strip. Over time the gap became more and more noticeable and two days before I left for Chickasha, Michael said “We really should get that repaired.” Then I was driving through Oklahoma and I heard a loud thunk and saw some black stuff fly away. I had no idea what had happened. In fact, I was positive a giant black bird had just dropped out of the sky and hit my car. I stopped in Guthrie to put gas in my car, but before I got out, I looked at my phone for messages. Michael, knowing that I had made it to Oklahoma, had texted “Bet the wind’s picked up.” I nodded like he was there to see me and got out of my car only to discover that I had not been hit by a giant bird. That thunk sound I had heard was the sound of the wind ripping that plastic trim free from my car. I took a picture and sent to Michael saying “You could say that, yes, the wind has picked up.” He immediately responded with “We will get that fixed as soon as you get home. You do not have to drive a car that looks like that.”
So, we bought the part and the tech guys at the dealership installed it for free. Everything is fine and dandy. I’m just a little bit thrown about Michael’s part of the text that read “You do not have to drive a car that looks like that.” I have been driving clunkers and hand-me-down cars ever since I got my driver’s license. The Soul is the first car I’ve ever owned that was purchased brand new. It is the first car I’ve ever owned that didn’t start out with a few dings and a few thousand miles already on it. The car that I used as a trade in was riddled with dents from a hail storm. Insurance ‘totaled’ the vehicle because of the damage and that’s how it came into mine and Chris’s possession. I just assumed that when Oklahoma took my windshield trim that I would just be without trim. Except that’s not the case. I have become the kind of adult that doesn’t have to drive around in a ghetto mobile. I think this means that I am a successful adult.
Guys? I’m a freakin’ grown up!