Natasha
R.I.P
26 April 2004- 12 January 2006

Meet my fine ride, Natasha, a 2004 candy apple red Toyota Celica GTS. She entered my life on the evening of 26 April 2004 and immediately we hit the road; first to hear my friend’s band, aBetter Yesterday. They opened for Yellowcard at IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), then on to Mercyhurst College in Erie to take a friend’s friend (who came down for the show) back to school, and then finally on to Brooklyn for my friend Bishop Gregory Mansour Episcopal Enthronement. All within a twenty-four hour period! After a few hours of sleep we hit the road again for Hagerstown, Maryland where I was to celebrate Mass at St. Maria Goretti High School. After so much time together with her in such a short time I couldn’t help but fall in love. But it didn’t start out that way …

Natasha and I met quite by chance. I had been very happy with Walburga [LINK to her page], my ride at the time. In fact I had no intention of breaking up with her. Her fate was sealed, however, when I started reading about the Toyota Prius; the idea of sixty miles to the gallon was just too much to resist. So I started looking. I finally ended up at an auto broker who was highly recommended by a brother priest and our DRE (Director of Religious Education). He made me realize that it wouldn’t be wise to go with the relatively untested technology of the Prius because I wouldn’t be saving the bucket-loads of cash I imagined I would, particularly since the topography and weather conditions of southwestern Pennsylvania guaranteed that I would get no where near the gas mileage I would get in, say, southern California. He then suggested that, being young, I needed something “a little more exciting” and showed me a few brochures. And that’s when I spotted her. I immediately knew that she was the one for me, although I was a bit apprehensive. Was it the right thing to do? Was it the right time? Would it work out? Ever lingering doubt was gone, however, after that first twenty-four hours and thousand miles together. In addition, I envision us making beautiful Music together for quite a long time.