Lent: Go

In Detroit there is a place where three sisters, dressed all in gray overalls, work nonstop making cars for all the world. (You know this is true.)

The first of the sisters builds the chassis. It is she who determines the size and shape of the car, how stylish and attractive the car will be. If she builds a car people admire, they will throng you by the thousands wherever you go, just so they can see the car, touch it, or maybe (heaven grant it) go for a ride with you.

Very few people get those, and mostly those who do are celebrities and other royalty. Most others get a sedan that looks decent enough, and while it may get some attention as you drive, it generally blends in wherever you go.

The second sister builds the suspension system, puts in the seats and equips the car for comfort. If she favors you, the car will give you a smooth ride, no matter what it looks like. The car may not be flashy on the outside, but the unassuming people who go with you discover what a joy it is to ride in with you, even if it's just for a little while.

Other cars have just the basics. You feel the potholes but you've got decent seats, so you don't mind. (A few cars have wooden boards for seats and a sound system with blown speakers that play nothing but reggae, and they play it badly..)

The last sister adds the engine and other components. It's her actions that determine whether the car is smooth and sleek, powerful, with excellent timing; if it's one that pings and misfires occasionally; or even if it is a wretched mess that starts and stops fitfully.

Each car they make is custom-built for the driver, but they always get complaints. The car is too big or too small, it draws too much attention in the city or goes unnoticed completely even when it's in the countryside by itself.

People complain about the color, the smell, or the model; and they always complain about where the car takes them, as if that were up to the mechanics who built their car, and not up to the person who drives it. However they're built, the cars are all guaranteed to last a lifetime.

The car is yours. Where are you going to go?



Copyright © 2017 by David Learn. Used with permission.


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