My husband retired a few months ago. Until then, we hadn’t got a car, Geneva being the city it is, with parking so expensive and difficult to find. And rules such as you can only park in your spot for 90 minutes. We’d managed, with the scooter and public transport. I must say, it is very good. Schedules like trains, a website where you can draw up your itinerary and know what time you need to leave to get your connection (if you need to take more than one bus) to get to your destination. And there’s Mobility, a cooperative where you can rent the car you want (a two-seater, a station wagon, a van) for the time you need it. You just pay a yearly, hourly and kilometer fee. That sounds like a lot but it comes out cheaper than taking cabs. And the bonus is you don’t have to shell out money for the car, insurance, maintenance, gas, snow tires.

All this to say that now we live in the boondocks, population: 16, yes 16 with no zeros after it, we need a car. Hey, it’s a lovely place, where you can see the stars in a bed of black velvet, enjoy the birds singing their hearts out and hear your heart beat. But no public transport. So, what kind of car did we get? A big red honking pick-up! Now, I’d always rented the Smart cars from Mobility. But I heard that the Smart car of the mayor of the local town slid on ice and turned over. Ok, not a good idea but surely we can compromise?

Well, he drives more than I do. He’d say, “That’s an understatement.” And I’d have to agree. So, we have this huge thing. Well, it’s huge in my eyes. Not for him. He even said, “Count yourself lucky it isn’t a tractor. “ And I do.

It has come in handy. The movers couldn’t get their truck through the one small road in the hamlet. Guess who came to the rescue! Reddie! Yes, I’ve decided to baptize him. If he hadn’t been around, the movers would have gone straight back to where they came from and who knows how long it would have taken them to bring our stuff back? When we bought plants, Reddie carried them lovingly, no traces of dirt or soil to be vacuumed! And when we had to throw old appliances, Reddie was ready! Sorry couldn’t resist that.

But it means learning to ride him. He is very kind and stays still and nary a murmur or a neigh as I stick the key in the ignition and as I shift to Drive. I must admit it feels good sitting in the big cab. I’m 5 feet 3 inches tall , or should I say, short, and in Reddie, I feel 10 feet tall. I can take on those big old trucks on the highway, leaving them in the dust. No, I haven’t turned into a daredevil. Reddie just makes me feel safe and secure. I don’t feel so small and vulnerable.

Of course, trying to fit him into a tiny Limoges underground parking lot is another thing altogether. That, I have yet to try.

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