Ode to an Odyssey

Ode to an Odyssey

by Ginger Gannaway

How has it been 17 years since you
first arrived in our Texas town
from the north Louisiana dealership?

Oh, you marvelous mode of family travel!
From West Texas’s Big Bend terrain
To Louisiana’s Cajun Country
To Florida’s Pensacola Beaches
Up to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Over to California’s Yosemite majesty
And many meanderings in-between,

You, dear 7-seater van,
With cool sunglass cubby and cupholders galore
Plus a disappearing third row seat
With lots of room to haul around our
Countless treasures:
Stacks and stacks of Christmas gifts
Always puffed-out suitcases
Thousands of dollars of groceries
College room futons
Tricycles, scooters, bicyclesAnd a 7-foot iron coat rack!

You began your time with us,
Dear Odyssey,
As a much-loved Momvan
To transport our life’s most precious cargo-
Our 3 sons
And their equally precious friends.

You ended your time with us,
Dear Odyssey,
As a much-needed Dadmobile

For holding old movie posters
Assorted lawn equipment, various recyclables,
Canvas bags bursting with books and folders and papers
Random t-shirts and jackets, stained coffee cups,
And usually a mountain bike.

Back in 1999 you proudly paraded
Our family of 5 from Texas to Louisiana
With our 3 boys happily tucked into  cabin seats or the way back place
Surrounded by pillows, Pokemon cards, comics, drawing pads,
Gameboys, and plastic Ninja Turtles.

You, dear trusted one, also transported fun-loving females
To Eunice, La.’s Crawfish Etoufee Cook-off
As these ladies frequented drive-thru daiquiri shacks and back woods honky tonks.
You listened as we swore, “What happens in Eunice, stays in Eunice!”

So revered, Honda Odyssey, with over 242,000 miles!
Thank you for holding
Our laughs, our tears, our victories, our losses, our brave times, our fearful ones,
our boasts, our secrets and all our memories.
Your style, your reliability, your smooth ways, your versatility, and your stamina
Have given us a journey to remember!