"Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda" or "What would she have done?"

Today, the weather was spectacular so I rolled a dusty Harley out of the garage for what may be the last ride of the year. I had only clocked +/- 50 miles this entire year because of the back injury. It was awesome to hear the engine roar to life like a moth waiting to emerge from a cocoon. The bike had been hidden away for months in the darkness of the garage begging for a rider. I enjoyed the wind in my face, the vibration of all that power, the sound of barely legal pipes but there was a nagging emptiness. What is it? Hmmmmmm, perhaps the back seat was empty, rear pegs raised, maybe riding Solo was hitting me.

It took me back to a time when Carol had proclaimed that "my next car will be a convertible". I laughed and said it would need to be a FAST convertible. She made that comment in the Spring of 2000 and in May I bought her (ME) a 1990 Corvette convertible with the fast engine and 6 speed manual transmission of MY dreams. She loved that car, she could not believe her eyes. As cars go, it was a fun car and I recall many fun "top down" rides. Sadly, by 2002 the insurance on "our toy" had gone from $450.00 per year to $1,200.00 per year. No tickets, no nothing, just being hyjacked for no real reason. When I cound't find replacement insurance at a reasonable cost, she said "GET RID OF IT". Mind you, she was an accountant, there was no talking about it, the car HAD to go, so I sold it.

I digress, as I was riding today, I started "crunching numbers" on how much the Harley costs compared to miles and if she were here, that damned accountant, she would proclaim "GET RID OF IT". Granted, the Corvette was a "toy", a FUN TOY, but so is the Harley and so now I find myself asking "What would she have done?"

Being widowed, I would set my Harley on fire and cheer as it burned for ONE last moment with Carol. I would trade all my "stuff" to have her back (healthy). Hence, that answers the "woulda, coulda, shoulda". She got her "ragtop" and now I am riding solo.