The Prius

Gretchen in car form... if only it was green.

My big development sold out a couple of months ago and I decided that I should treat myself because it was a big relief to have it over.  And my current vehicle needed some work done.  I decided to go nuts and in celebration of the end of the development I'd treat myself to a Prius.  I don't make enough money to actually go out and buy one, but I sure as heck could rent one while I left my car with the doc.  So I went for it and splurged.

Oh.  My.  Gosh.

I loved it!  It's me in car form.  Mind you, I'm so not a car person.  But I loathe driving my Malibu.  It's got so many quirks I can't mention them all because I forget about the ones that have been around forever.  The newest is that the fan won't blow unless it's all the way on high.  But the Prius, she was a damn car.  I loved how you start it up.  I love the little shifter.  I love how you can't even tell it's running.  I'm used to feeling like I'm laying on a bed that takes quarters in a sleazy motel when I'm idling the Malibu.  I loved watching the little picture of the car and the gas engine and battery flux capacitor thing.  I loved seeing I was getting 100 damn miles per gallon of petrol. I was even giving other Priuses(?) little 'sup nods in my head.  I also loved that I didn't have the oldest car in the parking lot.  I actually enjoyed driving!  I wanted to drive!  I feel like I rarely get to express myself anymore.  I spend a great deal of time biting my tongue in most of the company I keep.  I so don't fit in.  But in a superficial way I was expressing myself, and darn if it didn't feel good.

So, I had my fun for two whole days.  Then it was over.  It was back to reality.  The good news was they couldn't find anything wrong with my car.  The bad news was that it just had new noises it was making and I would have to live with it.  I teared up on my way to the shop.  I was hoping maybe they were still working on my car.  Maybe they forgot to fix the taillight.  Maybe I could have the Prius another day.  No such luck.  I handed over the "key" to the Prius and got my key back.  As I walked out to my car I started really crying.  Renting the car was a good treat insomuch as I wasn't actually buying something I don't need, but it was kind of cruel because I had just enough time to get used to it. 

Maybe someday I'll own one.  I do want to get a new car this summer, but I don't know if the Prius is in the cards.  But I think I'll have to look into it.  And, as I told one of my bosses, Secretary's Day is coming up.