As someone who has always loved cars and has even done some time on a car lot as a salesman and business manager, I was drawn to this article written by my friend, Terry Somerville.  I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.  It has a great message!

THE KINGDOM AND THE CAR LOT

By Terry Somerville

When I first came to "Rejoice Evermore"car lot, I was a brand new model. All the other cars thought I was wonderful. They wanted me to get involved with everything at the car lot, even though I had hardly any miles at all.  It was great! Each week we would gather together to hear manager Good-Brand  speak about being cars, or he would tell us the  great designers' plans for the car lot. He is a very wise car, and has many repair manuals and road maps in his office. I like him.

Manager Good-Brand  says it is very important to attend the weekly cell-lot. The leaders of the cell-lot are like Manager Good-Brand, except they are compact models, and just have one car offices.  (Manager Good-Brand is the largest model on the lot, and has big fins. He's been around a long time.)     I'm not sure how the cell-lot  is  different than the car lot, but I like it.  Until recently I went to cell-lot every Wednesday. We would be washed and have our oil checked, and then.... (this is the most exciting part)  we would have our engines started!  The leaders  always tell us to stay in "P"  and not push the pedals when the  engines are running. But it feels so good to have our engines running that we all want to do it.

One time my friend "Accel" pushed the pedals. ( He's Japanese. He says his name is short for "accelerator") Anyway, when he pushed his pedals he suddenly shot across the cell-lot and crashed into Volvo, who was quite upset. Volvo said "you new models are always trying to change things, and are out of control." Accel and Volvo had to see Manager Good-Brand for a long time. They went to the garage and some of their parts were changed. Accel says he doesn't feel the same anymore and won't come to cell-lot with us now.    

Occassionally a model called "Prophet" comes to our car lot....unexpectedly. Manager Good-Brand doesn't like him much. He say his headlights are aimed too high, and when the other cars listen to him the whole lot is in a turmoil.  I always listened to him though, he says things that were exciting. My temperature guage goes up to "normal" when he talks, and it doesn't usually do that. Prophet always talks about how the great designer made us for the open road. He would say we have power we don't know about unless we travel the "Kings Highway".  He always tells these amazing stories about lights from above and signs that point the way. I want to see that!  He also says "don't wait for your speedometer to move before you go, Just go, and your speedometer will move!" 

One time Prophet talked to me personally. He read my sticker, which I couldn't see from where my headlights are. He told me  how my model had something called "four wheel drive", and ran best in challenging terrain. We don't have any of that in the car lot, so I didn't know how it worked.  But, I thought it must be true because whenever I hear the words "four wheel drive" my windshield washer goes off all by itself.  I talked to Manager Good-Brand about letting me try the four wheel drive, but he said "we have no place for that here. Just stay on the pavement and you'll be fine."
A couple of weeks ago a car named "Missionary" came to visit us. He went on the open road and did what prophet was always telling us about. He has a partner named "Ambassador".  Missionary was all banged up but very happy. He didn't care about "clear coat" paint jobs and leather seats at all.  He said as long as his engine was srong and faithful he was content. He was getting a tune up in the garage, and told us that once he had his new tires he would be on the road  again.  

I asked Missionary lots of questions, and he explained that carlots are supposed to put cars on the road. (I always thought that the road put cars on the lot.)  I told him that Manager Good-Brand  had plans for a bigger lot when the  "car lot revival" comes.  Missionary told me he had seen  the biggest carlots in the world. He said they were only that way because they put the most cars on the road. He said I had to get out on the Kings Highway, or I would end my days sitting in the backlot. I didn't want that to happen so I decided I would try it.

Early the next morning I went out on the road.   I stayed in sight of the car lot....just in case.   I slowly moved from L to 2nd to D.  I felt a surge forward! Something was revving up my engine. It never did this before! I moved so fast! There was so much power. What Prophet said was true, there were signs along the way. They said "Kings Way", or "Grace Avenue".  It was great!  Then it happened!   A light from above directed my course!  Sometimes, it told me to slow down and stop. Sometimes it said go, and when I did what it said my travels were co-ordinated with the other cars. Other cars!!! Yes, there were other cars out ther with me. I never thought that would happen.

Finally I went back to "Rejoice Evermore Carlot". The other cars were excited, but some were concerned. They thought it was unsafe. "What if you go in the ditch ?" they said.  "You are only safe in the car lot."  Others weren't worried about me, but thought  I must need a "front end alignment".  My steering wasn't the same as theirs.

Over the next few weeks I took many trips onto the Kings Highway. Finally Manager Good-Brand called me to his office for a talk.He told me I needed to choose between the car lot and the highway.  I asked him "why can't I do both?"  He said that cars in his lot must be loyal, and I was not doing what he said by going on the road.  He also warned me that when I was on the Kings Highway he could not direct my path.  I said the lights directed my path, but he said it was not the same. So I chose to go onto the Kings Highway to stay.

I just wanted to to say good bye,  and I hope that you will come on the Kings Highway too. It's what you are made for.

Your friend
Wheeler

Terry does a lot more than just fix old cars and write amazing allegories about them.  To check out his whole ministry, you can go to http://www.totalchange.org/.