The BeetleBugCar Gallavants

Gustav the BeetleBugCar has spent the last few days hanging out with his friends at the Volkswagen dealership. It was initially supposed to be just a short daylong outing--he would arrive, have a delicious cup of fresh new oil, and veg out in front of an episode of Square Pegs while Mrs. S. made cookies.

But I guess it was just too much fun to end there, because Mrs. S. called that day and said that Gustav was having so much fun with his Volkswagen friends, and he was such a pleasure to have over, couldn't he stay overnight? Please?

I sighed. (It's always so hard, their first overnight trips away!) Hesitantly, I agreed to let Gustav stay the night, but only on the condition that there would always be an adult present, and that he would not be allowed to stay up all night. Did he need me to bring him an extra car cover?

Mrs. S. assured me that there were plenty of car covers around that they would be happy to loan him, and that I could pick him up on my way home from work the next day. Reluctantly, I consented. Gustav could stay the night.

The next day, I was pondering about how absence really does make the heart grow fonder--I really missed the little guy!--when I was interrupted by the twittering of my office phone. It was Mrs. S. again. Gustav was enjoying him self so much, and he got to see his friends there so rarely--couldn't he come with them on an overnight trip to the seashore?

I furrowed my brows at this.

Sensing my hesitation, Mrs. S. suggested that if "now" wasn't a good time for Gustav to go to the seashore, I could come and get him that night after work and he could go with them on another trip, next time.

Realizing that this would just mean another trip down the road later on, and more time without Gustav, I relented. He could stay another night and go to the seashore, if she was certain that they were actually going. But again, adult supervision required! And don't let him go out in the sun without a nice thick coat of wax to protect his sensitive paint job! And tomorrow, he is coming home!!!

He's waiting now for me to go pick him up, but I know things won't be the same any more. He's been staying up late, swigging high-test gas with his fancy new friends. Now, he'll be all "Why do we always have to get regular gas? No one uses regular gas anymore!" And when I try to explain the value of a dollar to him, and that people are dying while (so?) he has a full tank of gas, he'll just roll his headlights and call me "lame".

I'll give you a heated seat, bub.