Nikki, elegant, stately “Grand Dame,” responded to assigned tasks, accepted responsibilities with accuracy. Sometimes hummed. Sometimes groaned. Sometimes grumbled with gusto.

Her one, only one, passion was “run.” She had a wild, passionate love affair with “running.”

Nikki’s aging became visible with brown spots. In 2003, a complete “heart” transplant gave renewed zest for running. A second transplant in 2010 seemingly made a difference, but aging increased.

Decision time. Car hospice. For two years she struggled.

On Dec. 28, 2014 she was “hot,” breathing steam. I left her for two weeks for diagnosis and evaluation.

The dreaded lead was found, plus other problems. Somehow it didn’t appear in the budget. She flashed her mileage of almost 300,000 and let me know she had finished her last run.

Nikki left me to celebrate her 25th birthday with a wake.

My favorite word in the whole world is “synchronicity.” Nikki had 17 miles when I bought her in Auburn, January 1990. She was DOA January 2015. That’s synchronicity.

I was her one, only one, owner, sharing some joyful, fearsome adventures. Even though she is free to run to her heart’s content she, certainly, clipped my freedom, my independence to “run.”

Do I miss her? Yes! I loved my 1990 “Nikki” Nissan Sentra.

JOYCE O’NEAL

Port Townsend