My “Civie” and Me

By Mike Esposito

Mike Esposito

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1,072 views Apr 9, 2010

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Every red-blooded male grows up dreaming that his first car will be some sweet hot rod I dreamed that when I turned 16, I would have a 2001 Ford Mustang GT Bullitt. I've yet to drive one. Not only did I not get my license until I was 17, I drove about the farthest thing from a Mustang. My mom gave me her black 2001 Honda Civic LX Sedan definitely not a hot rod. Heck, its more suited for a mother than a teenage boy. But like most kids I didn't have enough money to afford my own car, never mind the insurance That was way out of my budget. Now I'm a junior in college, still driving that 2001 Civic. But you know what, I love it.

I was a junior in high school when I first started driving it. I still remember that thrill of the open road I felt. It was a new-found freedom for me. Equipped with my iPod and plenty of gas, I would just drive. I would drive all over Connecticut to do stuff with my friends and meet girls. That was a great new thing about driving. I didn't have to rely on my dad to drive on dates. As a senior I did more of the same, spending most weekends driving around Milford, Conn. hanging out with my girlfriend at the time. I swear I must've put 20,000 miles on that car in two years. 

During that time, my Civic and I became very close. That's when I started calling her "Civie". I used to, and still do, keep her immaculately clean, car wash once a week (weather permitting), and wax once every six weeks. What really drew me so close to that vehicle was driving in the snow. Driving in those snowy New England winters, I really began to feel one with my car, like I was in complete control.

When I graduated from high school, I went away to college in upstate Massachusetts and "Civie" came with me. One trip in particular was miraculous. After I finished my fall semester, I packed up all my stuff into my car and drove home in near-blizzard conditions. There was about six inches of snow from upstate Massachusetts to my house in Hamden, Conn. The highways were slowed to a crawl. I could only go 40 mph and only see a few feet in front of me. It was nerve wracking.

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After that semester, I transferred home to go to Quinnipiac University in Hamden, and Civie would be more important than ever, as I needed her to get back and forth to school. I continued to regularly wash, wax and vacuum Civie, keeping her spectacularly clean in the summer. Those summer months are the best time to drive. All the windows down warm air blowing around the car, its the closest thing I can get to a convertible.

Now I'm a junior at Quinnipiac and Civie gets me to the bars in New Haven, Conn. and home safely. Granted being responsible helps too. I still take good care of her, even though I'm busier now. But once the summer comes, Ill be washing and waxing and vacuuming just like always, so I can ride around town with the windows down, music up and the warm breeze in my hair.