So, you remember the car that caught fire, right? Although the manufacturer took care of the situation and expressed great dismay for our plight, we thought perhaps we ought to consider a replacement vehicle. This isn't a decision made lightly, of course; besides very compelling macroeconomic concerns there is also the very simple matter of my consuming resentment of almost any amount of money spent on automotive requirements. I really, really, really hate parting with even the smallest sums on cars or their maintenance and this, you might understand, interferes somewhat with the car buying process. How it came to pass that I married a man who loves nothing more than to tinker on, shop for, or talk about cars is a mystery for the ages. It's probably true that we create many of our own challenges, don't you think?
I've been playing along with the whole new (to us) car idea because I take a pretty dim view of the whole catching-fire-while-driving thing. The dimness of the view shifts a bit when presented with the costs of automotive acquisition and I don't know where we'll end up with it. Since I first offered a tentative agreement that a new car would be a good idea Brainiac has probably visited every dealership within a 20 mile drive. To say he's excited is a gross misrepresentation and I feel a little bit the killjoy when I remind him that despite my consent I'm not that happy about it and I'll probably be a little miserable about the whole thing. For a while. Poor guy, but I can't fake this. You either feel the car thing or you don't, and I don't.
I especially didn't feel it when Brainiac called to tell me one day that he'd been in an accident with the other car on his way to work. Some guy tried to occupy the same space as he, it seems, and physics being what it is, they collided and now we've got the thread of totaling hanging over the car we had hoped to keep. It's really more than I can bear. One new car? With medication, therapy and a few bottles of wine I might see my way clear to becoming fully functional again someday.
Two new cars? Excuse me while I go to my Happy Place, if only virtually. I'd visit in person but I'm afraid I'd have to drive.