Let’s Eat!
Unfortunately, this was not from my holiday barbecue. The big party I went to at nighttime was, it turns out, a daytime party. I had to get my fill on dried baby carrots (with that weird white stuff that forms after you leave it out too long) and misshapen hot dogs.
Still, good to see some pals I hadn’t seen in a while, and I’m a sucker for a grand piano in a small room.
My very first car was a convertible named Midge, after Moose’s girlfriend in the Archie comics. Despite having a distinct lack of acceleration (0-60 in about an hour), Midge nevertheless was an accident whore. She never met a concrete beam in a parking lot that she didn’t want to snuggle up against. The body shop knew me on a first-name basis and after a while literally would repair the side molding with metal screws. Like with most things, I had no idea how to maintain a car and so Midge gradually wore down and was sold or given away to a maintenance worker when I went off to college. I swore that I was spoiled and would never be able to buy any non-convertible car again. My next cars were all conventional 4-door sedans until last week.
I just bought a convertible and I’m determined to get all the use out of it I can while it’s warm and sunny here. I’ve driven with the top down from the moment I picked the car up. I’d forgotten just how different things are when everyone can see and hear me. The biggest difference is at stoplights, where I am suddenly responsible for the entertainment of those around me. (What if my lane neighbors don’t like this song?) It also means that there’s no escape from people asking for money. I can’t pretend I can’t hear the guy, or look away, when we’re separated only by air. This newfound intimacy makes things much more interesting and adds a new sense of accountability I wasn’t quite ready for when I lowered the rag top. Honestly, I just wanted a tan.
By the way, Midge cost slightly more than the car I just bought. After the first few visits to the gas station, it will all even out.
Now if I can just stay clear of those concrete beams.
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