“This is a beautiful old car and you’ve taken great care of it, so do you mind me asking why you’re selling it?”
“To be honest, I don’t want to,” the old man began “but my kids are telling me it’s time, I don’t want to fight with them about it anymore, and God help me if something ever happens to prove them right.”
I had a lot of feelings about his answer and the look in his eyes when he gave it, and I wanted to tell him I was sorry, but instead I just said that I was thankful to be the lucky guy he is selling it to, before handing him a check, wishing him well, and driving away.

If we are very lucky, most of us will eventually end up on both sides of this type of exchange. Of course, it does not feel like luck, for most people, to be on the latter end.
Writing this story was a bit like “adventures in compound sentences” to get it in under the limit, but I think it worked even if it also feels like I cheated.
5 responses to “Three Sentence Story #6”
I dread the day my dad isn’t a safe driver anymore, he loves cars
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Same. My dad drives so much that it will be a massive lifestyle adjustment for him to stop doing that at some point. I hope he’s reasonable about it when we get to that point. He’s handled winding down his work/career a lot better than I would have expected 20 years ago though so I have some hope.
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a touching one, Dusty….to time and life as it goes… beautifully expressed 🤍
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Thank you! I think Faulkner said the stories worth telling are those wherein the heart is in conflict with itself. Struggles with aging definitely qualify.
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the heart in conflict with itself….true to this and those struggles with aging .
..and you’re welcome 🙏🤍
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