Boys and Cars..

Everyone knows someone who seems to have a never ending obsession with a particular object or a specific class of objects. The zealot in my life happens to be my significant other, and his object of obsession happens to be his CAR. It's a 2009 Volvo S60r, which remains gibberish to me except that I know it represents a love and devotion that rivals our relationship.

This car is his god, literally. Or I suppose that any car worthy of his attention would be treated as equally important. However, the car, in my mind, has many flaws. It has summer tires on it so it can only be driven in the summer. The seating space is really small, and the windows are tinted so much that he always gets pulled over. When we drive in it, he gives a unending commentary about how shitty the roads are, too many potholes, and how horrible those little rocks are that fly up and hit the front of the car. He has to get a car wash once a week, it seems to need exponentially more trips to the body shop and repair shop than my little 2002 Honda Civic. In actuality, this car seems to cause more stress and exertion of energy than anything else in his life. So WHY self inflict this type of situation on oneself?

To me, it's a perfectly clear example of a pursuit without a terminus. Having a great car that stresses you out to drive, so much so that you avoid driving it? Believe me, that car stays in the garage when it's raining too hard, beginning to snow, or even in the early fall when there may be ice on the roads. In fact I know numerous people with amazing cars that seldom even see the road because of these same concerns. I believe it gives intrinsic fulfillment to drive the car, it's certainly an object to be looked at by others. A body, even, which undergoes constant and unending improvement to defy the very nature of the object: a means to drive from here to there. I concede that there are countless joys to be derived from owning something in which you have much interest. But I'm glad to have these tools and phrases to help me point out the slight ridiculousness of it.

If anyone would like to respond and enlighten me on how to celebrate and love this car more, I'd love to read!! Thanks :)