Broken after 23 years

[fbhjr]

I was going to go on about super mice with stingers in their tails.


Or how the cottonwood trees are bad enough to cover our pool.


But, tonight, I broke my keychain.


“So what?” you ask. Much worse things have gone on in the world and for some of my friends recently.
That is true.
I am not trying to say this is as bad as that.

But, I got that keychain with the first car I bought, 23 years ago. Not the first one I drove. Not the first one I was told was mine. But, the first one I bought, was registered in my name and actually owned.
(Some folks here will even remember that car with it’s “Weird Load” bumper sticker on the back.)

Since May of 86, every key I’ve carried has been on that chain. Given the fatigue strength of die cast zinc, it actually performed quite well and the engineer in me is impressed with it. But, it feels like a good luck charm has broken.

I already replaced it.


This double ended key chain I got as a gift visiting a company making aluminum parts for me 14 years ago. (Yes, I still have a keychain given to me in 1995. Yes, I had put it aside as double ended keychains are rare and I knew it would be needed at some point. What’s your point? I still use the tape measure given to me in 1986 by the chemical company that wanted me to use their product. They haven’t been in business in years, but their tape measure still works.)

So, I’m sad it broke. But, it’s had a good run.


[Yes, it is safe to conclude that if nothing is mentioned about my job search and I obsess about a key chain that no feedback reached me today from all the resumes shot into the dark.]