And so, the journey ends here. Adieu, Blue Blaze

Yo, man. (Jesse Pinkman style)

I don’t know how to put these thoughts into words. 

“There’s a mystical bond between man and machine.” Sagacious words, well at least i believe so. 

But the quote came from a very non-inspiring yet entertaining movie called Transformers that i’ve watched millions of times before. 

Like everything else in life, there is a beginning. Adam ate the apple, and so humans started to live on earth. Even a 7-0 drubbing needs for the whistle to blow to signal the start of a game before the avalanche of goals. You get the drift, right? 

And the journey in my master program in Kelantan began with the need to get myself a car, which happened to be technically my first because i was using my sister’s car before that. Yes, i know you’ve seen her. Yup, not too shabby that Satria of hers. 

So i got you purchased and there you were, a stellar of a car which i had no clue of. Come to think about it, i did not even have a test drive. How silly and naive was i? But the rides were magical from the get go. 

Most importantly, we traversed through Titiwangsa countless of times, those journeys. Back and fro, east and west. KB-AS. KL at times to the dreaded exams and numerous courses. I was so boring driving on the route that i decided to imagine myself riding through the fog of a Friday morning, on some European path across Switzerland, Germany etc. on a Mustang wearing a sports jacket and drinking a can of redbull. 

And we killed some animals along the way as well, accidentally. A monkey crossing the road on the first trip to KB, with the car filled to the brim with stuff and heart filled with hope and longing for home. The image of the monkey on the side mirror rolling on the road, probably around Jeli, is still fresh in my mind. I thought for once it was a bad omen, but turns out it wasn't. Then we hit a bird in another journey, but in my postulation it was already sick before nosediving (or beakdiving for that matter) onto the windscreen. 

And we did come across an elephant once. Of course i didn’t dare hit it because the reverse of above might have happened. Up to that point, most of my mates were telling me about their encounters with the grey giant of the jungle on that path and so i wanted to experience it as well but i was too tired to be excited when the moment arrived - pretty much an anticlimax. 

And on those long, arduous journerys, feeling insecure about the assignments and research proposals, you were always spot on with the music i demanded for you. You even rekindled my love for rock’n’roll again. 

Play Album ‘Relationship of command’. 

Play Album 'Drive like Jehu'. These two albums were pretty much a wake up call. 

Play track ‘Let it go’ - for the record, that’s for my daughters when they are in the car. 

And never once did you decline my request except for the times when you confused some tracks, artists or albums with another. As if you were mocking my accent. 

‘Play Artist: Sheila on 7’. Yet you played slipknot, but i didn’t mind about it. You made me headbang instead of karaoke-ing to those soppy songs of Sheila's. 

And those long journeys when COVID hit, the empty highway that we travelled on with the police barricades. Felt like an encore - never thought i would have another adventure with you again. Caught speeding few times and you may have noticed how desperate i was begging for the police not to give a speeding ticket and misusing my medical background. Yo, it was all on you bro. For the countless of times i was caught either by police, JPJ or their AES proxy on the highway which left my finances critically bad at times, I put the blame on you for being too efficient, too good of a car. 

Alas, all good things will come to an end. For life is destined to end for everyone, and everything. The whistle will eventually blow after the avalanche of goals to signal the end of a football game. These past few years have not been the best for your health. Whatever is under the hood is decaying, is rusting. And those gadgetry of yours are short-circuiting. 

It’s not that i didn’t try. But you’re just so high maintenance i’m literally bleeding through my wallet. It could have been a different ending but i guess this is it. 

These memories of you, i am sharing on this tiny plot of cyberspace which is supposed to be for my children to write their stuff. 

But i am really thankful for the years spent with you. 

For the rides. 

For the music 

For the bond, you and me, man.  

Yo, i love you man. May you find a better owner, and may you speed your way as always on the road. And may your soul rust in peace. 

Here's to the last song that we played on the way to Carsome: