Today my car put itself to rest, suddenly. 
It was of course a dramatic ending and, at the height of afternoon rush hour. 
The Ford Escort was a 93, having 309 thousand on it, a lot of mileage. 
I drove it hard, having been the one to put most of the miles on the car as I was the second owner but I cared for it well and I used it to the bitter end.  It had a good life and served me well. 
Earlier this evening RC  took me out to a large parking lot not far from home and patiently taught me how to drive a standard, something I had eluded learning till now.  
Can you believe he sat in the passenger seat, smoking a cigar the whole time.  A Cuban one none-the-less.
Being able to drive a standard is a necessary skill for me to acquire seeing as my next vehicle is none other than a .......