Where’s My Car?

I recently purchased a used Honda Accord. I love the car, but I’m having trouble finding my car in the parking lot.

I call the color gunmetal grey, which has a snazzier ring to it than just commonplace grey or charcoal. The first few days I had the car I kept forgetting what color it was at all when I went to look for it in the parking lot. Unless your car is something memorable, like canary yellow, bubblegum pink or hideous orange, you’ll find that you can’t quite remember exactly what you just bought. Was it silver or dark blue? You know it was something dark. At least you think it was. But you test drove several and the green one seems to stick out in your memory, but did you buy the green one or the other dark color car? And darn, what dark color was it?

I guess I would never make a good eye witness for a crime involving a getaway car. “Well officer, I saw it clearly. It was a darkish color car. Definitely not red. It might have been a dark blue. Or green. Or maybe a burgundy. But definitely a dark color. Or maybe the interior was dark and the exterior was lighter. But for sure it was a sedan. With 2 or 4 doors. It had a distinctive logo on it too. Honda or Toyota. Maybe VW. But distinctive nonetheless.” The poor officer would have so many erasure marks in his little notebook that he would probably write my name down with a big note that said: “Do not ask this woman for details. She saw nothing.”

Now try to discern your car from among the zillions of other Hondas, Toyotas, Volkswagons, and Lexus sitting in row upon row. They all look pretty much alike. And you’ll find there are lots…and lots of dark colors too. Instead of panic buttons, which sound annoying and just shout to the world, “the idiot woman forgot where she parked”, why don’t they make an attractive whirly thing that comes out of the roof that says, “I’m over here”. Quiet and discreet.

I also realized this morning that I have become akin to an airplane pilot in the morning…
Work security badge: check
Sunglasses: check
iPod: check
Insert iPod into radio adapter thing and into cigarette lighter. Turn to correct playlist: check
Cell phone: check
Plug in cell phone: check
Sync earpiece to cell phone: check
Put on earpiece: check
If it’s a grey morning, push back moonroof cover, if not, keep it closed: check

20 minutes later I’m finally backing out of the driveway, just sure I’ve forgotten something. Probably my lunch, or earrings, or makeup. But at least I’ve got all my electronic gadgetry. They’re all black. Or maybe dark silver. Or maybe the case is black, but the gadget is…a dark color.