Mark and I have very similar Subarus, as it happens. Mine is a few years older; his has more miles. His has a CD player, mine doesn’t; his windshield is crappy, and his air conditioning doesn’t work, but my dash lights are almost gone. His car is used for storage, and is full of stuff; mine’s pretty clean (except for rock dust from dumpster-diving at the granite-and-marble store the other day). He hadn’t had an oil change in a thousand years, and hasn’t had time to deal with that.
Anyway, the plan has long been that he drives to San Diego, and the Marquise and I fly down, and then Mark and I drive home together, visiting folks along the way. So–which car to take? (The Miata, alas, is out: not only is it rather small for two people, but Someone (ahem) pretends he’s incapable of learning to drive stick-shift.)
After much debate, back-and-forth, and changing-of-minds, it was decided that we’d take my car. So, he drove his down here Saturday, and we repacked what he needed for the trip into mine.
Got him all loaded up this morning. Tearful goodbyes all around. Off he drives…I go about my business.
An hour later, I’m wandering through the living room, and–uh-oh. I pick up the phone. Miraculously, he answers–he’s at a rest stop. “I know you don’t want to turn around, but you left your computer cable here…”
“Oh jeez. No, I don’t, but I have to, and actually guess what? Your car no longer has cruise control.”
“Oh jeez.”
So he drives back here, and we decide that yes, it makes no sense to drive from Portland to San Diego, and back, with no cruise control. So….unpack all the storage stuff from his car and put it into my shed; repack everything from my car to his car. Tearful goodbyes, accompanied by, “I love to see you, but don’t come back!” He was off to get a quick oil change and then hit the road…hours later than planned but still daylight….
Hopefully, that’s all the nonsense for this trip, and he’ll greet the Marquise and me at San Diego airport on Thursday. Speaking of the Marquise and airports–it’s time to go get her now! No rest for the wicked, or the weary, or the windblown, or whatever I am. 🙂