I Like Red!

So I've never gone, all by myself, to purchase a car. In fact, the last time I went car shopping at all was 20 years ago when I was pregnant with Isaiah. Our only car at that time seated only four people, and with our third child on the way, we were sort of desperate. I barely remember shopping for mini-vans, but I know we came home with a 1990 Plymouth Voyager. I was excited to have it (my newborn baby would have a place to ride!), but I hated the color, a dull, ugly blue/gray. And I had to look at that color for quite a few years because we kept that van until it literally started to smoke. That was in 2005. Yes, Isaiah, then 15, began learning to drive in that very van. His perception of that scenario: "Learning to drive in a car that your parents bought before you were even born is just wrong on so many levels."

In 2005, when that old gray van was emitting charcoal black smoke and I had to stop every 30 feet to add water, Gerald finally replaced it with the van we currently drive, a 2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette. Okay, I didn't think there was a color uglier than the blue/gray, but no, I was mistaken . Our current van is the most boring tan color you can imagine. Blah, blah, and more blah!

I decided we really needed a second reliable vehicle to get through this next Montana winter. Last year we limped along with the van plus an old beater car that worked only sometimes, but this year, Eli is so busy that I didn't think we could do that again. So car shopping I went. All by myself. When I arrived at the dealership, it occurred to me that they might expect me to have some idea what I was shopping for. Hmmm. Sure enough, the salesperson's first question was something like, "What kind of car are you looking for?"

My response: "I like red!"

"Okay, red. Could you tell me anything else about what you would like?

"Bright red?"

Okay, yes, I'm exaggerating, but only a little. I really have no knowledge of cars. I don't care about them much either. I'm not impressed by fancy cars that do fancy things. I just want a basic car that starts when I turn the key and then takes me to where I need to go. That is exactly what I told the salesperson. He was very kind; he overlooked my utter ignorance and led me to a bright red Toyota Corolla. It was the prettiest color I've ever seen on a car. He gave me the key and told me to take my time. I got in and drove around for half an hour or so. It worked fine, so I went back and told him I would buy it. That simple.

I've heard some people say that shopping for a car can be extremely stressful and time-consuming, but I'm convinced it doesn't have to be. My advice: Just go in and tell them you like red.