Our new container on wheels: ’97 Dodge Dakota Sport
“It’s like looking at a beautiful woman.” I really don’t know how to take my husband’s comment, but I have noticed a smiley glow about him ever since he bought this cute little truck.
When he first opens the blinds in the morning, instead of rushing for that first cup of coffee, he’s just been standing there, fondly gazing at the driveway. Or more to the point, his “find”. This morning we sat down to talk about it, and he admitted just how happy this truck makes him.
Clearly, my husband Bill is in love. Having a truck moved up to #1 on his bucket list after we moved three years ago, but I didn’t know it was such a burning desire until he proudly drove home last week. He actually said, I kid you not, “You might say that my truck is like my second wife.” Whoa, hold on there!
Mind you, he’s owned 35 vehicles over his life and at least half were trucks so I knew he liked them… a lot. But when we moved three years ago he decided he didn’t need one anymore. HA! Three full years without his right arm. Then came this jazzy little Dodge Dakota Sport which, apparently, has everything: Beautiful lines, superior design, high performance, towing capability, quick acceleration and uniqueness. Yes, he is in love.
But the best part is the sleeper effect. It looks like any other 20 year-old truck with some miles on it — paint peeling off the hood, rust here and there — but that’s the beauty of it. It looks rough, but then you start the engine. That throaty rumble of a V-8 sends shivers up his spine. Bottom line he says, “I didn’t feel complete without a truck.”
I admit to having no appreciation for vehicles. They get me where I need to be and that’s all I care about. Talk about carburetors and transmissions always leaves me blinking and bored. Men and their relationship with cars and trucks has always puzzled me, but the list of websites when I googled “Why do men love their trucks?” is long. It is cool that they ride higher than autos because the visibility is much better, but I’ve never been in one that had a comfortable ride. Too jiggly and bouncy.
Pickup Truck: Container on Wheels is a Convenient De-cluttering Tool
I don’t want to downplay my husband’s passion, but when I look at this truck all I secretly see is the bed. Shhh. This nice big container on wheels is such a convenient receptacle for stuff headed out the door to thrift or Habitat or to the dumps. All the better for whittling down possessions. And it’s bright blue color is a constant reminder to weed out more crap.
Although Bill spent most of our talk gushing about “her” virtues, I tried my best to get him down to the nitty gritty, “Why does a truck means so much to you?” The “why’s” are always the most fascinating. Turns out his first ride was a ’29 Ford Pickup and by the time age 16 rolled around, he’d been champing at the bit of independence and adventure for quite a while. Even today he says, “When I get in that truck, I’m in a different world.”
The extent of his attachment is a little unsettling, but it’s glorious to have a such a cheerful fellow around the house lately. I do understand having a passion — I love to dance — but if I ever see him puckering up or caressing his truck, therapy is next.
End of interview, “Do you love your truck more than your wife?” Reaction: first a smile, then a pause that was too long, “Of course not!” I could be slipping into second place.
SECRET: Keep some kind of container in view. Maybe a colorful box or bag in the corner of a room you go in often. Then, when you take something off you’re not crazy about, put it in there instead of the closet. When you’re done with a book that you won’t read again, pass it on. And you probably don’t need enough towels for ten. Getting that “I don’t need this anymore” mentality takes time, but it helps to have a reminder because our time is usually filled up with other things.