The R, The X and the 8

I always have a list ready of the cars that I intend to buy. But every time I confront them, and even though I know everything about them, they manage to intimidate me. I like it that way.

The RX-8 was no different. There she stood in the Mazda Dealership lot, silent and waiting. I had asked the salesman to give me a test drive and he said yes. You do realize that some ‘Yes’s’ mean so much. Will you marry me? Yes. Are you pregnant? Yes. Did I pass? Yes. While some positive replies have no weight. Say perhaps, is this milk bad? Yes. Will the dog bite me? Yes. Are you from India? Yes.

But going back, the yes from the salesman sent my heart racing. Just like people, you can know everything about them but you wont know them unless you meet them, Cars don’t show their color till you press on the throttle.

Erie, PA. One of the Towns with cops that are much busier doing somewhere else He took me down a winding road where the limit was 25-35 mph as he cruised at about 50. Through the winding road, she did not lose here composure at all. As I sat in the passenger seat I was itching to talk to her. See what she has to say about me.

Just before we were to get on an interstate he pulled into a gas pump where we exchanged seats.

My first task was to take the Rx-8 up the ramp and on to the interstate. Start from almost 0 and speed up to 65 before you merge on to the interstate. Throw in a curved uphill road as the ramp and what you get is six seconds of bliss.

Neutral. Engine revwing at about 1200 rpm. Clutch and the quick click into first. Throttle to get things going and then the quick release of the clutch. A lurch but so does every missile. Engine upto 4000. A shift up to second, accelerator pressed fully again, the revs touching 6000, Wait I am already on the Interstate and doing about 60. So, am I insane? Yes.

Third. Rev it up hard. 5500 onwards you can feel the rotary whine. There she was, telling me to go and that she was just starting to have fun. Never stop short on a girl so I kept going. Fourth, fifth and all managed by doing all that’s not recommended on a highway. Speeding and weaving through traffic.

The heartbeat caught up and I slowed down. But our first talk was just amazing. I never thought she could speak so much and penetrate me in our first meet. We would have to talk more.

And that’s exactly what we did as we exited the interstate and entered a 25 zone. I was doing 60 and not slowing for the turns. Even the salesman wasn’t comfortable with what was going on between her and me but knew best to not interrupt. The rotary whined but she liked it. She went turn to turn teasing me to go faster. She held her composure as I began to run out things to talk about. Very soon it was all her and she was controlling this date. I loved it.

I hated stopping and turning the engine off. I hated to leave her back at the parked spot. But such is love and rarely does it go your way.

I have another 21 cars to drive before I make my decision. I know I would like all of them but I do hope that one of them makes my decision easier. That the best thing about love, only you understand yours!