Death Bed Moment: Dreams Slip Through My Fingers Like Sand Through An Hourglass...

My, how frightfully poetic! Or, mayhaps just frightful.

Wilma is sad today, boys & girls. Sad & disappointed & startled that the planets have not aligned as expected.

4 years ago, I traveled to Taiwan to visit FancyPants & whilst there, we toodled around Kaohsiung on her scooter. During our travels around the country, we flew to a little island where we both rented scooters & drove around, enjoying the scenery & freedom.

Scooters. You see them everywhere. Europe is full of them ~ so I hear, I've never been ~ Asia is full of them, North America is starting to catch up. What's not to like? They are sporty & zippy {not to be confused with our friend Zippy} & an absolute blast to drive. Fun, Fun, Fun.

Since Taiwan, I've longed for a scooter of mine own. I've dreamt of driving one. I've looked at my photos from the trip with a bittersweetness that makes my heart hurt, just a little. I've talked of buying one, wistfully, with a bit of childish wonder in my voice. I've been churlish to Puffy when he dismisses my dream.

This year, I made up my mind. I shall have a scooter. Come hell or high water ~ whatever the hell that means. I've looked on the interweb & picked out the style I want; the Yamaha Vino 125. I've already bought a great little over-the-shoulder backpack to wear whilst driving the scooter. I want to avoid buying a new one unless absolutely necessary, as $3600 + tax is a bit more than I am willing to spend.

Velvis, bless her heart, is on a mission. She is certain she can find me a scooter. & find me one she did. A 2006 Vino 125 in silver {just what I wanted, it would match my backpack & we all know that is the most important thing} for $2100. We made contact with the seller. It sounded promising. I didn't want to commit myself until I had seen it, however. Unlike some people who shall remain nameless {crazy friends of my parents} I do not buy something via the interweb sight unseen & then travel a great distance {thousands of miles} to get it, only to find that it's a piece of shit & not worth the money & then drive home {thousands of miles} without it.

I digress.

I had made arrangements with the seller to see him this weekend. It was all very fortuitous. He had the scooter I wanted for sale & I was already planning on going to Edmonchuk. Things were good. The planets were aligning. All the signs were positive. I mean, come on! He lived in a town with the same name as my nephew. What more do you want?

Tragedy struck.

Someone else, able to travel before me, went to look at the scooter. They bought it. I received a sympathetic email from said seller. I was sad. I still am sad.

Why do I want a scooter so badly? Several reasons pop up:

they are really, really fun to drive. I cannot stress this enough.
every time I get on it, I will be reminded of Taiwan. Fond memories will march through my brain & I will smile.
They get 96 MPG ~ no, that is not a typo. You can travel 40 KM on 1 litre of gas. & since it now takes $100 to fill my vehicle, I thought I'd do my part & get the scooter for errands around town. I figured if I could get one for a reasonable price, it would pay for itself in gas cost in a year.
I would look so ultra cool driving one! Especially with the pic I was planning to get the Queen of Halloween to put on my helmet.
who wouldn't want to drive one of these?