Last Friday, with heavy hearts and a deep sense of gratitude we bid farewell to our faithful ride of these past ten years: Tama-Chan (literally, "Little Ghost"), the little Honda CRX. Rather than go through the rigmarole of selling the Millenium Falcon of economy cars (a nimble hunk of junk), we decided to donate it to our public radio station, WUNC. That way, not only do we get rid of the thing, we assuage our guilt for not having contributed during recent years' fundraisers.

And thus ends nine years of partly unstinting service, along with wholly unstinting repair costs. We used to say that angels were holding our little bucket together, and that the minute we divested ourselves of it the thing would crumble into dust.

But we salute you, Little Ghost! You served us well.

(cue Little Rascals theme music)

Tama-Chan Fun Facts:

• Odometer reading at time of purchase: 55,000 (1995)
• Odometer reading at time of donation: 235,500 (2004)
• Stereo radio only since 1997 -- tape deck done died.
• Windshield replaced not once, but twice.
• FM antenna broken off by vandals in 1999.
• No A/C since 2002 -- estimated cost to repair: $750
• Source of "that musty smell": interior A/C leak, and bad moisture seals on windows
• Frame damage that one shop declared to have totaled the car; another shop undertook straightening the frame, only to realize upon completing the job that the first shop was probably right.
• Tastefully decorated on the inside with assorted pirate stickers
• Interior ceiling boasts multiple fist impressions from Randall's road rage
• French fries under seat only now approaching half-life

Here's NP saying goodbye to the Little Ghost. Apparently, you get beat in and beat out of NP's gang.