blue artichoke

Where have all the pushy car salesmen gone? When I bought Njiri, I had the stereotypical cheesy sales guy. He tried to establish a buddy relationship with me, and when I was taking too long to decide, actually called me to tell me (on the down-low) that he was leaving to work for a competitor and wanted to complete my deal before he left. Which was bullshit, of course; he never left that dealership. I told him I didn't care who sold me the car. I like to think that I saw through his other manipulations, but I probably fell for some. The whole transaction left me feeling dirty, but I ended up happy with the car and the price I paid for it.

In my more recent dealings with car salesmen (all have been men), I haven't experienced any of these sorts of manipulations. Maybe I'm older and look less naive, or maybe the Internet has changed the way people buy cars, and therefore the jobs of sales people. Mack, the jerkface from Honda, pretty much left me alone and answered questions with obtuse metaphors. That's OK, though, because I can find out the answers on the Internet. Armando with the long, thick, beautiful eyelashes spent more time with me, but was really quiet. He just stood back while I circled cars, climbed in, over seats, through the trunks, pushed every button and stuck my fingers in every well and cranny. When I asked to drive one, he retrieved the key and accompanied me. He answered questions to my satisfaction, and sat quietly while I thumped, sniffed and manhandled the cars. I dismissed the Corolla without driving it; it felt really small and light. I want a hefty car, but not a monstrous boat like the 2007 Camry. Those things look and feel enormous. I drove a 2004 Mazda 3. I didn't like it so much. It might have been that particular car, but the brakes were whiplashy hypersensitive, and the engine was so loud I had to shout my questions at poor Armando. Then I drove a 2003 Camry; it was immediately comfortable and familiar, with a smooth, quiet ride. I still have to drive a Mazda 6, but so far I'm leaning toward another Camry. I'm a bit hesitant, though, to commit to being a Camry-person. "They" say the car you drive reflects your personality. What does a Camry say about me? I'm practical, thrifty, comfortable, smooth and cautious. All are correct, I think, but sometimes I'd like to think of myself as more daring and flashy. Maybe the Mazda 6 will step up for me.

I like to think I'm a fairly observant person, but recently I've been finding out ways that people are different from me. You guys learn things about me all the time. Wouldn't you like to learn more about your fellow readers & commenters? Indeed!

Getting to Know All About You: What are your favorite seasonal (spring, summer, fall, winter) foods?