Never has a youtube video spoken to me, personally, nor captured my experience as well as “mom my ride. ” By Zima.
You see, a few days ago I woke up and said to myself, “What? Is that a gold-toned metallic minivan, indeed a Honda Odyssey, in my driveway?” I went on to ask myself, “What? Am I a 40-year-old mother of two, living in outer suburban splendor driving a huge living room on wheels and shopping at grocery stores that are not on the human scale?”
Yes. It’s all true. To complete the picture and frankly to facilitate the logistics of this genre of life (and to off-load a 2001 Prius that was a pre-owned certified LEMON), Ben came home on Monday night in this enormous cruising machine. Seats 7 in a pinch! With cargo room to spare behind even all those people. Sliding doors open themselves when we approach. A DVD player descends from the ceiling, and get this—it has wireless earphones for the children! Meanwhile the adults don’t have to listen to the hundredth iteration of “7th voyage of Sinbad” and instead can listen to whatever they want! And all this for the exact same price as the Prius from hell. A financial net equal! And yet such a boon.
I went grocery shopping this morning and found that “when in rome” sensation of pulling up my gold Honda minivan alongside all the other mothers and all their gold Honda minivans. It was an eerie sensation, slightly uncomfortable. Are you my posse? I wanted to ask them all. Is this my hood?
I mentioned to Ben something about the severe reduction in my cool factor with this purchase. He replied tartly, “I didn’t realize you were cool.” And so the last vestige of urbanity has been stripped away. Ben drives to work in the Scion xB that has been my trademark for two years, standing out as odd in the school parking lot. And now…
But the practicality of it boggles the mind. No more choosing between the dog and the stroller—we can have both! No more multiple trips across town because not everyone can fit in the car at the same time. No more complexity when Isaac wants to bring a friend (or two)—we can have guest car seats on hand for all comers. And the huge doors that open themselves so graciously, allowing in people and groceries and gear in virtually limitless quantities.
We’re going to take it out for a spin—to South Carolina—and then we’ll really see what all it can do. Cup holders everywhere! Arm rests! Cruise control! The mind reels.