While clearing out junk, Dick found a funny clipping asking “If My Body Were a Car?” It begins with “If my body were a car, this is the time I would be thinking about trading it in for a newer model. I’ve got bumps and dents and scratches in my finish and my paint job is getting a little dull…But that’s not the worst of it. Almost every time I sneeze, cough or sputter, either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires!”
This reminded Joy of a poem she wrote many years ago that addresses this. We are sharing it for your enjoyment, and also some serious thinking about how you treat your classy chassis. We hope you will enjoy it.
YOUR CLASSY CHASSIS
I KNOW WHEN MY ENGINE IS SLUGGISH,
YOU ASK ME…HOW DO I KNOW?
BECAUSE THIS BODY IS MINE,
I MAKE IT STOP AND I MAKE IT GO.
I CALCULATE ITS FUEL,
I CLOG ITS CYLINDERS WHEN I FEED IT JUNK.
IF I DON’T SYSTEMICALLY FLUSH IT,
ITS PIPES WILL BECOME PUTRID AND FILLED WITH GUNK!
I KNOW I MUST ACCELERATE,
AND IMPROVE MY MILAGE EVERY DAY…
TO PHYSICALLY STRENGTHEN MY CHASSIS,
TO PREVENT FREEZE-UP AND DECAY.
YOU ARE YOUR OWN BEST MECHANIC,
YOU RESPOND WITH EVERY MOVE THAT YOU MAKE.
YOU CANNOT BE REPLACED WITH A NEW MODEL,
SO…STEP ON THE GAS AND LET OFF THE BRAKE.
DEPEND ON NO ONE AS MUCH AS YOURSELF,
ON THE SURFACE YOU MAY LOOK JUST FINE.
IT’S WHAT LIES UNDER YOUR COAT OF PAINT,
THAT WILL CARRY YOU TO THE END OF THE LINE.
YOUR EYES ARE LIKE YOUR HEADLIGHTS…
ONLY YOU CONTROL THE BRIGHTNESS OF THEIR BEAM.
YOUR FEET CAN REVEAL YOUR WORN OUT TREADS…
YOU MUST KEEP THEM INFLATED AND CLEAN.
YOUR SPINE CAN BE A CLASSY CHASSIS,
TO KEEP YOUR MOTOR IN TUNE AND ALIGNED.
YOUR FOOD MAY BE A PREMIUM FUEL,
DEPENDING UPON WHAT YOU HAVE DINED.
JUST ASK ANY EXPERT MECHANIC,
WHAT IS THE BEST AND LEAST COSTLY WAY?
YOU SPOT THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT ERUPTS,
YOU USE PREVENTENTIVE MAINTENANCE EVERY DAY.
GIVE INTO YOUR BODY,
WHAT YOU WANT IT TO GIVE YOU BACK.
THIS YEAR’S MODEL IS ALL THAT YOU HAVE –
YOU GAUGE ITS PERFORMANCE ON THE TRACK.
WILL YOU BE A VINTAGE MODEL?
WILL YOUR VALUE INCREASE WITH AGE?
OR WILL YOU BECOME A DECREPID MODEL,
LISTED DAILY ON THE OBITUARIES PAGE?
Joy Williams
November 5, 1983