You know how people grow attached to pets and the grief involved in having to one day "put them down"? They become a part of the family after say, 10-15 years more-less. It can be tough. You feel like there is a sudden void in your life.
Well, I suppose it may not be exactly the same, but I'd had this lawn mower for over 30 years. I finally laid her to rest this week.
I was mowing the yard Tuesday afternoon, and I thought she was exhausting some white smoke. It turned into more, and more, and pretty soon I looked up and it was like the entire neighborhood was in a fog. That's when I started hearing the 'clunking.' I shut her down, noticed the oil splatters, and just pushed the ol' girl out back. Her suffering is now over.
All summer I was going to have Jane record me starting her up. After an oil change this spring I merely wanted to turn the motor over to disperse the oil inside, and it started up! So I tried it again. I just pulled out on the rope as slow as possible... and that's all it took to get her purring. I began to think maybe she was going to run forever. That's why it caught me by such surprise.
So, I've kind of been trying to not think about it a whole lot. I looked at other mowers that afternoon but I wasn't in the mood to buy anything just yet. I 'think' I may buy my bosses mower. It's a Craftsman that needs a part replaced, which I think I can do myself, and I will likely pick it up later today. We'll see.
I know it's just a mower. It was the first lawn mower I ever bought, actually. The Briggs & Stratton engine is as old as my kids. Originally it came with a red deck, which rusted out a couple times before I found the current green deck in the dumpster at the storage place one day. I suppose maybe next week I will push her out by the curb on garbage day. Until then, she will rest quietly on the back patio.
Bye, bye miss American pie...
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