Dear My Truck,

You are a 2001 Toyota Tacoma 4X2 PreRunner.  Like me, you look Asian but you are really made in America with foreign components and call Fremont your place of origin.  You have served me faithfully for almost 94,000 miles.  We've been through a lot; roadtrips to Chico, Fresno, SLO, SoCal, camping, 24 hour gambling trips to Reno and Cache Creek where I squandered a few financial aid checks when I was in college.  We shared a lot of accomplishements, I drove you to my first paid gig and my college graduation.  We've also shared some dubious accomplishments that I'd rather not share in a public forum.

When baseball season rolls around I am reminded of all the good times we've shared in the Oakland Coliseum parking lot.  Playoff games, opening days, lazy summer Sundays where I zoom off to Oakland right after church.  We've had some parties in that parking lot.  I remember a few fireworks games where our spout turned into party central during the fireworks, mainly because we had lots of beer on hand. A lot of good memories stem from showing up early for a game and just wasting time sitting on your tailgate, eating food and drinking beer while listening in on the A's pregame show.

I fear that A's Home Opener 2007 may be our last hurrah.

Those roadtrips were from a more innocent time.  A time when gas was less expensive ($1.70-$2.10) and my parents footing a good portion my bill.  Now, gas is $3.20 a gallon and rising and I am a productive member of society supporting myself and giving money to my parents as opposed to spending my parents' money.  Gone are the roadtrips to Chico and other schools that party harder than Cal State Hayward East Bay (pretty much any school) where I spend significant chunks of time blacked out in a drunken stupor.   Those have been replaced with the morning commute and the evening commute.  I'm a big boy now.

These days, your 16/22 MPG can't cut it anymore.  Gas is too expensive and driving is no longer fun.  Also my liberal, hippie-ish tendencies is urging me to pollute less, especially now that I have a job that comes with a company truck.  That truck is a gas guzzler of a Dodge Ram going 15 MPG on a good day.  I'm thinking of trading you in for a hybrid.  We've had fun, but it's time to move on.

Before any of this happens we're going to end this run the tailgate party to end all tailgate parties.  On Monday, I'm going to make some pork chops, corn on the cob, potato salad, cut up some fruit and I'm going to find that awesome Carne Asada in Hayward.  There will be plenty of beer.  We will be in the parking lot early, since I got the day off from work.  To paraphrase  Shakespeare's Henry V, "Once more into the breach, my truck, once more..."

Party.  Monday.  Oakland Coliseum Parking Lot (66th side).

LET'S GO OAKLAND!

Sincerely,

secret ASian man

PS:  How the hell am I going to tailgate in hybrid?

PPS:  The secret ASian man is back.