I drove the same car for 15 years, and she was two years old when we purchased her…a 2009 Honda CRV named Curvy. Recently, I was involved in a non-injury collision on the double-diamond intersection near our home. While trying to make way for an emergency vehicle, I collided with another car who was also trying to make room for the ambulance to pass.

The wreck was considered non-injury because neither I nor the other driver was injured, but Curvy was badly damaged. Her entire front bumper was ripped off, and significant damage was done to the front driver’s side above the wheel. I was devastated; but it was past time to let Curvy go, and I knew it. Despite her obvious wounds, indomitable Curvy drove me around for several more weeks until my husband found a three-year-old Nissan Rogue at a local dealership. The Rogue registered only 16,000 miles. Reasonably priced, the car was as neat as a pin.

We made the trade, and Curvy was replaced (in my garage, if not my heart) by Cozy. Cozy’s name came about because, compared to Curvy’s peeling upholstery, Cozy’s driver’s seat felt plush and snuggly. I felt guilty thinking that.

Curvy was my car for the soccer and lacrosse years. She safely and faithfully toted me, whichever pre-teen or teenaged son I was transporting on any given weekend, and usually a couple of his friends, for miles to soccer or lacrosse tournaments. She endured spilled sodas, smelly cleats, and lacrosse sticks smacked against her windows.

She happily carted two different family pets, succumbing to scratched leather, muddy paws, and one horrible bathroom incident when I loaded our Miniature Schnauzer into the car before her potty break. Curvy was long-suffering.

Now Cozy gleams in Curvy’s spot in the garage. Our two-car garage is a bit tight, so my husband installed hanging tennis balls that gently land on Curvy’s hood when I’m parked exactly right. I can’t count the number of times I carelessly drove Curvy straight into the portable smoker or the stacked beach chairs. I was hard on that car, and I regret it.

Cozy represents a new stage for me. We installed a rear-facing carseat, and Cozy has transported my six-month-old granddaughter safely and comfortably. Cozy has working dome lights, Apple CarPlay, and an auto-start key fob. Curvy still required an-old fashioned key which I recently locked in the car one rainy day. Imagine the AAA driver’s surprise when he saw an actual set of keys in the sticky cupholder while we stood outside Curvy.

“This is actually an easier fix than some of those newer cars,” he told me. I think he was just trying to be nice.

Cozy and I are new members of the Whitewater Car Wash Club where we hope to become regulars. My favorite radio stations are now on preset. I have a quick dial feature from the car’s Infotainment Touchscreen. She even boasts a heated steering wheel. I think we’re going to be friends.

Curvy was a strong supporting character in many of our family’s stories. This is Cozy’s debut.