Have you ever wanted something so bad that you convinced yourself that you wouldn’t be happy or complete until you got that thing? You’ve probably experienced that. I know I have.

I remember buying my first car. It was a blue 1996 Mercury Sable. I laugh thinking about it now, but I remember how happy and proud I was when I bought it. 

Prior to that, I had been driving a 1984 Ford Escort Pony that started and ran when it felt up to it. That Escort—which is a horrible name for a car, by the way—had one of those seat belts that automatically choked you across the chest as soon as you closed the door. It was an ugly beige color and I had to keep a bottle of anti-freeze in the trunk just in case it ran hot.

I really wanted a new car. I was tired of driving that Ford and having it break down on me in the middle of busy streets. I even recall that car stopping on the freeway once and being really creeped out by this weird guy pulling up on me asking...