He was a peculiar man who lived by himself in his one story home, which had only one window. Everyday he sat by his window and watched cars pull in and out of the auto repair shop across the street. Audis, Bentleys, Chevrolets, and Cadillacs of all colors went in and out of that little shop. He would watch admiringly for hours until the shop closed for the night. Although he had never learned to drive, his dream had always been to drive one of those fancy cars. He left his house one day and crossed the street to go to the auto repair shop, where he spoke to the owner and asked for a job. He wasn’t looking for money; he wanted a car. He started the very next day, and before punching out he slipped a rearview mirror in his backpack. He went to work each day, and returned home with a new part each day: the steering wheel, an engine, an exhaust, headlights. As his collection of car parts grew, so did his happiness. He felt that building the car gave him a purpose and gave his life meaning. A year later, the man found himself adding final touches to the car. He covered it in a coat of bright red paint and let it dry. The next day he went to work one last time. The day came to an end. He punched out, said goodbye to everyone, and enthusiastically crossed the street to go to his garage, where his beautiful red car waited for him. He started the car and slowly pulled out of his driveway. He practiced driving his car around town, and the townspeople couldn't help but stare. It was the most beautiful car they'd ever seen. It was sleek and shiny, and it was a stunning shade of red that appeared to glow in the sunlight. He was the talk of the town, and he was proud. He couldn't conceal his jubilation as he drove off into the sunset, leaving his old life behind.
Julia Aguilar-Pan
