The boy is an adorable little six year old, and he was invited over to play by none other than my daughter Patience---of her very own independent voluntary volition.
He was excited because he got to bike over to our house.
He's a native Texan, too.
That's relevant because of the priority system of most native Texans:
1. Church and God and Jesus
2. Motorized vehicles (bigger really is considered better, and newer is the cherry)
3. the GOP and maintaining the status quo, even if it does destroy the planet
4. Football, especially their college team
5. Everything else
(Note: I struggled mightily with numbers 3 and 4. Oh which is more important, which which which? I chose as I did because I have lately decided Texans would rather asphyxiate than change one iota of their lifestyle. Football is king, but I've never seen people as passionate about even the UT v. A&M game as I saw people fight to not recycle or xeriscape.)
Now, because this boy is under 28 (6, as I said), I think number two slides up to first place. In fact, I'm not sure, but it might do that for boys over 28 now and again, too.
So as we rode our bikes to the house, he kept up a decent running commentary of the motorized vehicles we passed. It shouldn't have surprised me, then, that he had a comment about my car, too. I suppose the fact that he commented didn't surprise me, although what he said did.
After we parked our bikes in my driveway, he pointed to my car and asked, "Is that your car?"
"Why, yes it is," I said.
"Wow!" he said.
"You like it?" I asked, "I do, it's a good car."
"Is it...is it real?"
"Is it...what?"
"Real! A real car! Can you really drive it?"
"Yes, it's real, really real, a real car that I drive, on the real roads and everything," I said.
"Wow!" he said, "It's just so small! Like a mouse car, yeah, like a car small enough for a mouse! I didn't know people could ride in cars so small!"
"Well, it's not big, per se, but it's not small, either," I said.
"Oh yes it is," he said, "It's small, a mouse car! You have a mouse car."
"All righty then," I said.
Small car. Mouse car. I drive a Subaru Forester.
I am pretty sure it doesn't meet Texas criteria for "good car." Although we call it the new car (it's nearly 8) and the big car (our other car is an Integra), I suppose it is neither new nor big. But it's not mouse car small, LOL.
Oh but he was thrilled. Such a tiny car! A mouse car! He could not let it go.
Thus, I now think of my car as Stuart Little.
Stuart Little is going to take me and the fab Kyla on a roadtrip.
So adios muchachos.
Copyright 2008 Julie Pippert
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Comments
Out of the mouths of babes!
Hug the Canadians for me, okay?
Enjoy your road trip! I hope Kyla can fit in your car, too!
I thought, A Subaru Forester would be nice.
Uh-huh.
Have a great trip.
Our "big" car is a Subaru Impreza stationwagon, which is their smallest car. (They call "sportwagon." It has a spoiler, even. Vroom!) I think of the Forrester as the big Subaru. I can only wonder what the boy would think of our little cars...We have two Minis. (Okay, I'm embarrassed that we have 3 cars. We've been planning to sell one.)
Have loads of fun on your road trip. I look forward to hearing about the whole thing!
I feel sorta bad for the people in Austin today. It's going to be 92. Yes NINETY TWO FARENHEIT.
I could cry and I'm used to warm right now.
At least it is cooling off tomorrow.
You know, for example, New Hampshire:
State Motto: Live free or DIE!
State Car: Subaru Forester, with cold package
However, I am tee-niny on the roads here. There are so many big-ass vehicles and half can't even see me (based on how often they try to run over me). I'm frightened to death of driving in the Integra on the roads here. Plus, as I've mentioned, I think the highways ought to be called Death Row.
***
Laura, I do not name my car usually, unless "The Forester" is a name. ;) However, it's got one name LOL.
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Gwen, I hope Kyla can fit in my car too. I hope she is not appalled by my car (the state of it, not the size---she drives a mouse car too, just a different brand). But just in case, I'm cleaning it today even though it's raining. Ish.
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De, you could name it Lenny. Of mice. And men.
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Alejna, this is the subtropics---in fact, we're built on wetlands. There is no need to water here. It is wet year round usually. Sure, water to get roots established, but after that, with native and compatible plants, they should be self-sustaining, able to weather lots of rain or mild droughts.
So what did you think of xeriscaping?
The Forester did used to be the big car, but now they have the Tribeca. We looked at the Impreza, but the dog didn't fit in the back.
I love the minis. I think they would be death cans here, though.
I'll try to come back with photos and stories. I believe I'm designated driver so I should be able to keep it in mind LOL.
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Jeff, that's the irony: he sees little hybrids often. We live in Rocket Town. The little Honda hatchback used to be the engineer car of choice, and now it's the Prius. There are tons of those on the road in our town.
Just watch the hybrids. Hybrid doesn't per se equal green.
You might be just as well off getting a used diesel and converting it to use vegetable oil. I've seen it done and it's pretty easy. Plus you can get paid to use the oil (from restaurants).
Oh wait...sorry. I went all preachy. SORRY!
You're smart and will choose well. *slapping forehead*
You go and enjoy!!
I really did try to cram three carseats into the back of that thing, but no matter how I shoved and pushed it didn't work. :(
There's so much emphasis placed on having a big honkin' truck of SUV and yet I see the vast majority of these hulking behemoths clogging up the roads on the commute to work - with just a single occupant. Now, lemme get this straight... You drive a lumbering beast that features 8 cyclinders, 9 cupholders, and gets about 10 m.p.g. and you use it to transport 1 person to and from work - which is rarely more (and quite often much less) than 20 miles away?
Shameful. I drive a Honda Element a.k.a. "Darth Vader's Toaster" and it's perfectly roomy enough for 2.5 people to commute to daycare & work everyday. But when I admit to other guys that I'm driving a 4-cylinder vehicle, well, I get looks that vary from shamefulness to pity to disgust.
And my wife drives a Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible a.k.a. Caliente. It's also a 4-cylinder, but with a kickass turbo that makes it rocket down the road like you wouldn't believe! And it too is roomy enough for 2 large adults and one cute & cuddly little boy.
Now here's the kickers: both of our vehicles get double (or better) the m.p.g. of most SUVs & trucks and collectively our 2 vehicles cost us less than the price of many big honkin' SUVs.
So, suck up that Texan pride and drive an appropriately-sized car, for gosh sakes!
And don't even gimme that lame ol' crud about SUVs being safer than smaller cars. Sheesh!
Come to Europe...your car would be GINORMOUS here. I promise you!
Heidi
Have fun BUT I just read Kyla and now I am worried that she won't be able to go. Sigh.
I used to think of the Forester as a "big" car. But now I've got a Freestyle, and it's a honkin' big car. But boy, it drives nice on snow and ice!
my, erm, Kia Rio? i guess it's a bug car. or whatever is smaller than a mouse.
i now am warned about driving to Texas, and i thank you.
travel safe and have a fabulous time!
I am glad I don't live in Texas because I don't do 1, 2, 3, or 4.
My wife loves sedans, for the record, and feels like big cars are much harder to drive.
And have fun on your trip!
Have a great road trip!
Have fun and hug Sage for me.
damn. I'm jealous.
@ Robert, I understand what you mean. I also maneuvered in Atlanta traffic and a hell=a little car in that mess, unless it's a fast little car, even then. I had a 2 hour commute one way for more than 2 years. TWO hours to drive about 65 miles. Sheesh
Julie have a great time on your road trip.
Hey, are the seatbelts regular sized, or mousse-sized?
Have fun!
Stuart Little...
(shaking my head in bewilderment -- because i have one, and i think it's pretty roomy!)
But. Well. My preconceived notions would be...your list.
I'm not sure I'd survive in Texas.
Though, dammit, 92 * is just about right for me, so maaayyybe.... *grin*
Safe travels!
If I didn't leave work by 4:45 most days, I generally worked on to 6:00 or later because there was no point in going home.
The little guys can be so cute - we had Boy Next Door over this morning, and a car hooned past. He told us the name and type, but was most impressed that it was "RED".
kiss kyla and have a great time.
Running on empty
And you're right about the order of priorities. My dad graduated from A&M. His brother, from TU--as it is NOT THE University of Texas but A University in Texas. I've been trained well. That game is HUGE.
Incidentally, he drives THE MOST GIGANTIC FORD you've ever seen and follows the Aggies with a fervor rivaled only by his loyalty to the Republican party. :)
Gotta love stereotypes.
If I ever learn to drive, I want a mouse car.
When are you getting back again?