Steve, alav ha-shalom

Steve, the 1985 Toyota Landcruiser that has been in my family for 22 years, was finally put to rest this week. Apparently, the state of California has some program where they buy your old high emission-producing vehicle off you and dismantle it. My brother took advantage of the program and put the aging, feeble, but ever loyal vehicle on its road trip to Elysium.

Steve was my ride in high school and college. He was named after Steve Totheroh, my high school American history teacher who taught me about the Cross of Gold speech and the Depression era song "One Meatball." Steve (the car) safely carried me to many places, including:

• Downtown LA, to participate in Hands Across America
• Vancouver, BC, to see how far I could travel during a day off
• Over the Sonora Pass at 10,000 feet, more times than I can count
• Dodger Stadium, with 10 passengers, to see Genesis and Paul Young
• Westley, CA, where Pitt the Auto Repairman replaced a fan belt
• Several unsuccessful dates
  

My brother has been Steve's keeper for the past 15 or so years and has taken him all over North America. Steve lived well and lived long. Now he belongs to the ages.