Wheels

Monday, March 29th — Ever since I moved to California as a newlywed in 1996, I’ve been driving the same car: a 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, which I bought used, with about 7,000 miles on it. It’s been a good car; lots of room, comfortable for a tall person like me. Its main flaw, from my viewpoint, is that the seats are low; and with my various joint replacements, it’s difficult to get in and out without putting a lot of pressure on my very sore shoulders.

But I don’t drive a lot of long distances, and I’ve only racked up about 73,000 miles in fourteen years. So it was my intention to keep this car for perhaps another three years or so. By then, my Beloved Spouse may no longer wish to drive, and I could take over his 2000 Dodge Stratus: a not dissimilar car from the Oldsmobile.I certainly didn’t plan to buy a new car, not any time in the foreseeable future.

My son David called from Houston a couple of weeks ago. He is planning to visit us the first week in April, along with his sister-from-Boston and his brother-from-Toronto, and the rest of the Toronto family, including two teenagers. Here’s how the conversation went:

HIM:   I just wanted you to know that when we’re in San Diego next month, there’s something we want to do.

ME:  Okay, what’s that? (thinking in terms of a visit to the Wild Animal Park, or maybe Sea World)

HIM:   We want to get you a new vehicle.

ME:  (after a shocked pause) You mean… you want to buy me a car? Nooooo! I can’t let you do that!

HIM:   Well, we’ve talked it over, and we are adamant: we want you to be spending your time and energy doing things you want to do, instead of struggling to get in and out of your transportation, and having every exit be painful. Last time I visited, I watched you get out of that car, and if it had taken any longer, we’d have had to time it by the calendar instead of the clock.

ME:   What if I’m adamant, too? This is a wonderful, generous offer, but I can’t have you guys spending your money buying me a car! You have your own lives to live, and living’s not cheap these days!

HIM:   To put it delicately, Mom — there’s one of you being adamant, and there’s three of us. We win. Now, I’m sending you a list of websites to check out. We think you’d like one of those crossover cars, not so big as a van but higher than a car. Do some research online; when you see something you like, go do some test-driving; and when you find the car you want, let me know. We’ve got it covered.

So here I am, a few weeks later, getting acquainted with my beautiful new Subaru Outback! Apparently the most popular car colors in California are:

1) silver

2) white

3) black.

I couldn’t get an Outback in silver or white for several months — not one available in all of California! What I could get immediately was Cypress Green Pearl, so that’s what I have. Actually, I love it — and it’ll be so easy to find in a parking lot filled with white and silver cars, with a speckling of black ones.

Now I have to spend some Quality Time learning how to trust the rearview camera, and how to get the GPS lady to talk to me… and all the other electronic cutenesses that cars have these days. Who knew!! I even get excited when I use the remote door opener — those weren’t around in 1995, apparently.

My chiropractor, Dr. David Klein, asked a room full of patients and staff last week: “If you had to guess, what kind of car would you guess Betsy would pick?” Sadly, almost everybody guessed boring sedans like Buicks, or Ford Tauruses. I figure they thought I’d select an old-lady car. Hey, not me: I’m an Outback Gal from here on in! It’s never too late to learn new stuff.

Thanks for reading — Betsy