06/02/08

MODERN WOMAN

     I am a Strong, Modern, Independent Woman.  This means that I drive my own car.  And it’s a good thing.

          There are only 2 problems with it: 1) I know nothing about cars, and 2) I hate most of all admitting that I don’t know anything.  I am, after all, a Strong, Modern, Independent Woman.  I know what I’m doing.

          This situation is the reason we have so many mornings like this one:  I go to my car and it won’t start.  “I HATE THIS CAR!” I scream to my husband.  “Why does it do this to me? And do you know what else it does?  Every morning I take the baby to daycare and when I come back to the car, it won’t start.  It’s like the motor gets flooded JUST FROM REGULAR DRIVING!!”

          My husband gets in and starts the car (the car likes him, it doesn’t like me).  I get in and turn on the choke.  Then he asks, “Mary, when you take the baby in the morning, how far do you usually drive with the choke on?”

          “Not very far.  Just the first 3 kilometers.”  And he starts laughing (Arghhh…)

          So I say, “You don’t have to treat me like some little kid who knows nothing about cars!”  And he says, “Well, you ARE little and you DON’T know anything about cars.”

          “That’s no excuse!!” (I am terribly logical at times like this).

          So why don’t I learn something about cars?  Well, its’ my Dad’s fault (you see, every problem in a Strong, Modern, Independent Woman’s life is the fault of her husband or her father).  He always took care of my cars.  So I got used to it. 

          My brother-in-law Ilkka (a rally driver) said that he would teach me all about cars.  All I have to do is put on some ugly clothes and go spend an afternoon with him in the garage.  I think this is very nice of him and I think it’s something every Strong, Modern, Independent Woman should know.  And someday, I’m going with him to learn.

          But just not today…