The Happymobile

The "Happymobile"

Each time I was ready to acquire a different car, considering the practicality of a vehicle outweighed my idealistic visions.  A safe carpooling automobile was a necessity for so many years, and when I was certain those duties had expired, I was ready to diversify my options - namely in the form of.....a yellow Jeep Wrangler ("Baja Yellow", to be exact).

No, it is not conventional. Perhaps it doesn't align with my stage of life, as I do not envision myself "off-roading" any time in the near future.  There is simply no logical explanation for the lure of this particular car, except knowing that I just belonged in its driver's seat.

My previous vehicle was a gray, "pre-owned", "luxury" SUV, which the dealership generously offered to adorn with a snazzy red pin stripe along its sides to compensate for its colorless exterior.  Ten years in, and grateful to have a car (which, I do understand is the actual luxury here!), I took a little "field trip", via my computer, to Cartrader.com just to look at yellow jeeps that might be waiting for a new owner, because... we all know that it never hurts to dream.  

Surprisingly, my junket to this website yielded a jackpot!  Right there, in Columbia, Missouri, resided a yellow jeep waiting to be re-homed.  Was it crazy to travel an hour-and-a- half for a test drive?  Absolutely!  Did I do it anyway? How could I not? 

Arriving at the dealership, my chariot awaited for me to take the reins. During its maiden voyage, with me at the helm, I silently ran through the pros and cons of either owning or not owning this magical machine.  

The thing I didn't realize at the time was that, I wasn't merely going to own a jeep, but I also  discovered that I was about to become a member of an entire community - a whole new universe!  That's right!  

Allow me to explain:                                                                    

Pondering why there were stickers depicting peace signs on both the front and back windshields, the salesperson chimed in:

"Those aren't peace signs!  That's the jeep wave !".  

"The what ?", I tossed back.

To clarify:  While making eye contact with an oncoming jeep driver, you casually lift up your index and middle fingers to acknowledge a fellow "jeeper".  We seem to be saying:

"You have a jeep. I have a jeep. We understand." 

The jeep wave

However....a deeper, more meaningful account of the jeep wave exists.  Thousands of these vehicles were constructed during WW2 to assist in the moving of troops and equipment over rugged terrain.  Following the war, many were brought back into the U.S. The assumption was that most jeep drivers were veterans of the war and when seeing an on-coming jeep, those at the wheel would hold up the "V for Victory" sign in order to pay homage to each other for having served our country. Keeping this theory in mind, it is such a lovely way to show gratitude to the people who were there when we needed them the most!

Another phenomenon about which I learned is that we  "Jeepers" have the ability to create a likeness of our vehicles from emojis, like so:

Emoji likeness of the "Happymobile"

Above, we can easily depict the resemblance of headlights (that we can match to the color of our vehicles!) on either side of Jeep's iconic seven-slot grille.  Where else can one find such an enchanting ride?

Then there's the naming of one's jeep - which is often affiliated with its color, usually quite clever, and often professionally stenciled onto the vehicles.  For instance:

A black jeep might be called Dark Knight, Blackhawk, or Grim Jeeper.

A red one might be named Chili Pepper, Dragon Breath, or Red Baron.

While a white Wrangler might go by Marshmallow, Ghost Rider, or White Noise.

These reflect just a tiny fraction of the creative variations of names that owners bestow upon their jeeps.  Many "handles" are a bit too risque for a family blog site, but I assure you, Google can introduce you to those!

My Baja Yellow Jeep Wrangler is not outfitted with its name, although I do refer to it as the "Happymobile" for obvious reasons. I mean, who wouldn't be happy navigating this mechanical bit of joy?

In addition to the jeep wave, emoji image, and jeep naming, we also have a practice of jeep ducking. Remember those Rubber Duckie bath toys? 

We jeepers, stealthily leave little ducks of varying colors and costumes on the door handles of other jeeps - simply to wish our comrades a happy day; just a little "pick-me-up" that reminds us we have a friend out there regardless of whether or not we are acquainted - because, remember, we understand !  The ducking incident below took place outside of a local Mexican restaurant. Clearly staying with the theme of the dining establishment, the "Duck-er" left me a little guy wearing a sombrero and holding a maraca. How great is that?

The first "ducking" of the "Happymobile"

The area in which we store these adorable fellas is referred to as the "duckpond", though a non-jeeper would tell you that they are basically just lined up on top of the dashboard.

The "duck pond"

The "Easter Egg" is, yet, another nuance of being part of the jeep world.  Easter eggs are subtle surprises of hidden images one might discover in or on their vehicle.  Mine, for instance, has tiny jeeps worked into imperceptible places throughout both the interior and exterior of the automobile. Others have sandals, lizards, or a spider saying, "Ciao, Baby!"

The "Happymobile" is akin to a life-sized Tonka Toy, with its ability to adapt to weather, road conditions, or even to the whim of its driver!  It is always a special treat for my grandcookie to take a ride in the yellow jeep when I have removed its roof and lowered the windows.  How much our hair blows is directly proportional to how much fun we are having, so if we exit the the vehicle looking a bit disheveled, rest assured that we've had a blast rocking out to "bops" and letting the wind have its way with our coiffures.

I could never have explained my affinity for a yellow jeep, other than to say that it exudes happiness on the road.  I could never have known that owning this sunshiny contraption would thrust me into a whole society of like-minded individuals who simply want to love life.  Yet, that is what I have found.  We are a fun-loving group, comprised of people of all genders, ages, and walks of life.

Whenever I hear the disbelieving comment:

"You traded in your BMW for a Jeep Wrangler??"

I proudly respond:

"I didn't trade it in for a jeep!  I traded up for the surprisingly charming opportunity of belonging to a kinship of others.........because we understand !"

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