Car Stories

My friend got into my car. My father had recently gifted me his 10 year old Lexus LandCruiser.
- You like your "new" car?
- I love it
- Have to say, its a cool car.
I smiled. His approval meant a lot. He continued, asking:
- Have you driven your dad's new car?
My dad had replaced the one he gave me, with the latest model of the same car. My friend's question had the tone that translated deceptively into: "it wouldn't make a difference, so I answered confidently: "No."
- Don't, he recommended.
I thought of all the negatives my father's new car could have. I was certain that my friend was on my side. But then the same friend added:
- you wouldn't drive yours again!

This conversation came to mind last night, when upon a humid September night, with an incidental full moon, two adolescents in tow, and a trunk full to the rim with Carrefour perishable goods, and some golf equipment (we were at the Creek Club), I got into my own car, never having driven my dad's car upon my friend's recommendation.


I put the key into the ignition and the plastic part of the key broke off from the metal part, with the car resolutely at a stand still.
"Think positive, yoga, zen..." advised my eldest son.

I was fumbling and mumbling, trying to start the car with the remaining steel key, to no avail. I got encouragement from my son's friend: "How cool, hot wiring!....Aunty you can curse all you want, we are above the age of twelve." Like in my son's reality shows, I came up with an idea: I had just bought duck tape from Carrefour. I sent the two boys to the back to scavenge for the tape in the innumerable bags. They found sports drinks "How cool!" and finally the duck tape. I attempted to stick the plastic part back onto the steel part of the key, all the while remembering that my dad's car model doesn't even need a key. It has a remote system, you can keep the key in your handbag!
I tried some more hot wiring and then gave up and called home for the spare key.


But I did remember knowing how to turn my car battery on and off with perfect mechanical expertise when I left on holiday in Boston. I am not entirely a novice with cars.....I remember once that the ice was so stuck on my windshield in Boston (and I didn't have that small plastic gadget to rake it off) that I drove home, with my ski bonnet head out the driver's window. My blog's most popular post to date is the story of me getting a BMW 8 series stuck in the sand....