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| MOMMY CAROL, A GO DADDY GIRL? |
I had to rent a car. Sawyer was under the weather with a non-weather related injury. Yes, Sawyer was injured on a sunny, dry, bitterly cold day- 1/24/11- no precip-distinguished by being the coldest day of the winter so far.
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| SAWYER- MUCH WORSE THAN IT LOOKS |
The number 24 is so big in my life that I should always be on alert when that day of the month rolls around.
I bring Sawyer in to Nuzzi Collision, say goodbye and walk down to Enterprise. Yes, I know their motto is "We pick you up" and they wanted to but since it is only a short walk I thought it would take longer for them to come than for me to walk. By the time my driver would cross Jericho Turnpike, wait for lights and attempt to see around blackened snow mountains, I would be there.
I arrive- a quick 4 minute walk. I had told them my car is a Ford Focus and my previous car was a Saturn so that they would get the proper idea of me as a driver. I am led out to the snow rimmed lot and shown my car, a Mazda, a sort of light midnight blue color- an oxymoronic description, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxymoron I know, light seeming contradictory to midnight?-but a light midnight blue is what it is
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| A LIGHT MIDNIGHT BLUE MAZDA RENTAL |
I am informed of the scratches and assured they are recorded and will not be attributed to me. I sign a million places, full name, initials. Thankfully, the Enterprise agent leaves to return to the office. I feared that if he watched me drive off, I would be self-conscious, lose my nerve, crash into something on the way out. Okay, I have my rental car. It is the right size. I get in; have a wee bit of trouble with the shift as it requires hard aggressive pulling to change gears and I have to go from left to right and back. See pic following
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| THE SHIFT AREA |
The control panel looks like something an astronaut might have to master. I locate the radio, the heat and the side mirror controls. That is all I need. I step on the gas and pull out of the lot to the street. As I pick up speed, a noise erupts. It builds fast and becomes so loud it is as if a jet plane is riding with me. As I slow down for a stop sign, it goes away. Encouraged, I start up again. It is back. I look at the cars to my left and right. Do they hear my big noise? I am mortified. Make it stop. How? Is the car going to blow up?
It is a 2010 Mazda 3. It says so on the key-a 2010 car should not have problems yet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda3 There is a lit up "M" on the dashboard, I assume its purpose is to proclaim its Mazdaness.
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| THE GLOWING 'M' |
Mazda, I think you should not be so proud of yourself -flashing your big "M"
After a high anxiety trip back to the rental office, fearing an explosion all the way (yes, I know- why did I stay in the car). I reenter the Enterprise office. By this time, I have tears in my eyes as I believe I have just beaten death. I explain the issue to the agent who immediately says, "I know what it is." We go out to the car. He explains that My Mazda is a sports car. That the shift is made for those who like the feel of the stick shift and the feel of controlling the car. It is meant to be a "hard" shift. There are two drive settings. The right is regular drive, shown by the "D" see next pic
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| THE CORRECT DRIVE |
the left is manual drive, shown by the "M" Oh the "M" is not for Mazda-it is for manual.
I ask him if I look like a sporty gal, thinking of the "Go Daddy.com ads from the Super Bowl. http://videos.godaddy.com/girls.aspx
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| DANICA PATRICK-GO DADDY GIRL |
He laughs. "I should have told you." "You mean if I just put the shift to the right all will be okay?" He says, "Yes."
You may be wondering how I am going to work my beloved Liam into this blog story. Well, here is the LiamLink. Two years ago, I bought the LiamLicks domain name from GoDaddy.com. Yes, we own it. Never developed it, just pay the yearly ownership fee of $11.99. In my fantasy, I am a Go Daddy girl representing Liam. Someday there might be a LiamLicks.com website. I believe that the Enterprise agent saw that Go Daddy girl in me when he gave me this sporty Mazda coupe.
And I did adjust. I got to like its ride and look.
This experience has shown me I can be a sports car type, a Go Daddy Girl.
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| I'LL WAIT FOR SAWYER TO COME HOME |
Liam says he'll wait for Sawyer to return from the hospital for his next ride. Woof, woof
