I feel the same way about cars as I do about dogs: very nice . . . for other people. I have just never had an interest in either. I like my pets and my cars to be practical and low-maintenance; e.g. cats and Hondas. Then I fell in love. Every year I dutifully take the boys to the Chicago Auto Show. Auto Show 2001! A coming attraction: next season BMW is to reintroduce that icon of London's Carnaby Street swinging 60s, the Austin Mini. There were a number of prototypes around the booth. I was smitten.
The Mini Cooper is not what one might call a practical family car. Namely, it is small, albeit beautifully designed. There are four seatbelts: no carpooling! The backseat is spacious enough for a car only 12' long, but the hatch could hold a bag or two of groceries or one backpack. Out of the question.
Two years later, I did something completely out of character. Hardly an impulse purchase, but still ridiculous and contrary to my nature, I threw away a perfectly good two-year-old Honda Accord and bought a Mini Cooper. Silver, with a black top and black “bonnet” stripes.
Frivolous yes, but that car has given me pleasure every single day that I have had it. It even has a name--Trooper. On the Mini owners’ website, most of the cars have twee British first names, Nigel, Clive, Trevor or clever plays-on-words, Mini Me, Mini Mouse, Mini Mum. A vanity license plate would be too much, but I do have an idea for one: Minnie Driver. Hee hee hee.
In case you wondered, a Mini is way too small to accommodate a dog, even a very small one.
Trooper and our unamed Honda
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