My Father’s Car

 

              About seven years before my father’s death, he bought me a new car because he wanted me to drive him to the hospital as he underwent artificial dialysis three times a week. However, I was not interested in cars. I was afraid to drive, so I didn’t touch the car for a few years.

              One day, the doctor asked my father not to drive. Hence, I needed to drive the car. Later on, I found out that the hospital had shuttle services, so I only drove to the hospital a few times and just drove around the neighborhood.

              After my father passed away, I decided to sell the car. One elementary school and junior high school friend of mine ran a garage. I asked him to estimate the cost of the car. He checked it and said, “This is about $2,300 to $2,500. If you sell it at $2,300, I want to buy it right now.” Actually, we were not close friends, so I suspected him.

              I tried another company. I visited one of the most famous secondhand car shops in Nagoya. The shop was advertising on radio and TV. The clerk estimated my car from a computer and said, “This is $450.” I was shocked. I started to regret that I suspected my old buddy. I decided to get out of the shop and go to my friend’s garage immediately. I wanted to sell the car for around $2,400 to my old buddy, but the clerk kept me. He repeatedly asked me to sell the car.

              The clerk said, “Please say the price you want to sell it. Just say that. This is a do-or-die job for me!”

              “$2,600,” I finally said so we could end the conversation.

              He became silent for a while. Then he started to complain about the price. But he still bought the car for $2,600.

              I had no idea about the secondhand car industry. So I started to think that I needed friends in all kinds of industries.

Picture by Shintako