I’m not a “Car Guy”. I’m not a “Truck Guy” either. I know it is a grand tradition in some families, but for some reason, I did not receive the correct nucleotide in my genome sequencing that makes many men have extreme emotional connections to their vehicles. I have never understood that – I try to reserve those emotion bonds for people…
(Credit to my Dad – he did have one flash of car-cool – link here)
I have more of a utilitarian mindset: To me, a car gets me from point A to point B. Sometimes I need to take people with me from A to B, or a truckload of stuff back from point B to point A. Being wired this way, I spend very little time, money, thought or effort maintaining, purchasing, cleaning or caressing my vehicles. Home and office? Clean. Truck? Not so much.
My father-in-law was a “Car Guy”. And a “Truck Guy”. Big time. Though it is still beyond my comprehension, my EC married me despite this obvious shortcoming – with his blessing. Apparently the automotive gene skips generations. I can tell that the FOMLs have it. My sons ask me questions like “If you could have any car in the world, what would you want?” I am unable to respond with any degree of cool. So far, my reality is that I would prefer a small truck for me, and an SUV for my EC, and a car that will make it to the high school and back for a few more years. Those are my “Reality Cars”. My “Dream Car”? One that gets 100 mpg and is paid off?
Last Father’s Day was a reminder that the “Auto Gene” is alive and well in the FOMLs. This is what they gave me:
The need to clean my truck was reinforced today as I was walking to my truck after eating lunch with a friend. He looked into the bed and asked:
Nah. I’ll probably just make one of my boys use my new vacuum and clean it out.
(Originally published June 23, 2011)
My father built my first car ($15 for the body, and various sources for the rest.). I just want to get where I need to go, which I do begrudgingly, because driving makes me nervous. For work, I drive a Prius that terrifies me, because it has less than 600 miles on it. I’d like to go Luddite, but I’m afraid of horses, too.
When our FOML started going away for college, we were able to start downsizing. Away went the 3rd minivan that we had purchased in our married life together and in came my “dream car”, a small truck; in came the small fuel efficient car for me EC and we kept the small “only trust it around town, not of the freeway” car for the kids to take to school. If it lasts one more school year when our son leaves on his mission it will be perfect.
My father in law….a mechanic for years and years, in fact when my EC and I married, she knew more about fixing cars than I did. MMM, I knew we were kindred spirits….but you can keep your current calling, and I will keep mine (YM – Deacons/scouts)
Hubby was not a car guy either. Then a friend let him borrow his Corvette… Suddenly it’s a whole new world. 🙂
Fun Fun Fun 🙂