Car Talk

Cut to a few years back. Lavanya and I enter a car dealership, excited, dreaming shiny new cars – after all, first cars are bought just once. A salesman greets us at the door – a younger, taller Dennis Farina .

“Hi, welcome to our dealership. I am John. (or Jacob, or some such name).”

He then offers his hand to Lavanya.

“Hi John. I am Lavanya.”

” ‘cuse me?”

“Laa-van-yaa”

“Oh, ok.” Turns to me. And duly shakes my hand, almost squishing it. Wincing, I mouth, “Karthik.”

“Sorry?”

“Car – thick, like a car that is fat.”

A little pondering. “Ummm… Can I call you Bob?”

We left.

__________

Later, much later, we head back to our car one evening, and it wouldn't start because we had left the lights on. We wait outside the car trying to flag down someone for a jump start. Cue the arrival of a knight in shining armor. An Indian knight to boot. Shining Armor being a gleaming, black BMW. Knight gets down, and asks us, “Can I help you guys?”

“Yeah, can you give us a jumpstart? I have the cables right here.”

“Sure,” he says and opens the gleaming, new black hood. Inside, all the paraphernalia seem to be hidden under a plastic canopy, meant to reduce engine noise. A 50 grand car better have something extra. He lifts the edge of the sheath, and peers underneath. He then proceeds to walk over to the other side of the car, and does another lift and peer.

“Hmm…”

After this pretty cryptic explanation, he mutters someting about trunks, and goes on to open the trunk. There are a couple of tennis racquets and a few balls in there. He moves the racquets away, and after a couple of minutes spent with his head inisde the trunk, he emerges with a quizzical look.

“Umm…”

“Is there a problem?” I ask.

“Well, um, not really. But I can't seem to find the battery in my car.”

“Oh!” With suppressed grins, we see the knight off, and start waiting for another one in armor less shiny.