I parked my faithful 1996 Volvo facing away from the club full of eligible new hotties. I didn’t want it to have to see me straying with the younger, smoother models. The 2006 Acura TSX isn’t exactly a trophy, but it’s got a hot body and is very tempting. A chaperone accompanied me as I courted the youthful version of my faithful four wheeler. Ego plays a part in this equation. I’m sure I’ll look better with a partner ten years younger than my own, but I’ll pay a price. The looks. The snickers. I know what they’ll think… Bastards. They don’t get it. They’re not there when she talks to me and says, “turn left.” Clearly, she understands me. That’s all I really want. It’s not about the firm, supple leather seats…

Still, there was something not quite right. The new edition of my trade-in had been on the market since February. When I asked about that, the only answer I got was, “maybe it’s the color,” like race was something to do with it. Hmm… I wondered about stability. By accident, I found out an engagement was broken off back in June. A terse answer on that query was, “financing.” Was I dealing with a golddigger? I also noticed a little hesitation in the performance, which led me to wonder if that would worsen once I made a real commitment.

The ride home was understandably quiet. Cool air blew from the vents in a way I hadn’t felt in weeks since the A/C failed. Yeah, cold silence. I threw on some Sloan and they spoke to me. If I’m going to make this break, it’s not going to be easy. There will be payments and legal proceedings. I’ll have to “walk through the fire, and burn for it.”