The start of school and sports is always hectic, but finally I’ve had some time to write.
The Prius was in the family before I was. I rode in the cheeky little car nearly every day of my first decade of school, starting down the hill I lived on then twisting and turning through the park, across the four-lane road and through the hilly neighborhoods to school. The Prius was always going somewhere, and I was usually with it. Back passenger seat, then back driver’s seat once my brother was born. I can feel the sloping, wood-textured plastic siding of the doors, and I remember resting my head uncomfortably there as the daily carsickness befell me on the snakelike roads of the park. Whenever I feel that familiar headache, I think of the Prius. Its headlights were little eyes, and had much more personality than most cars. It looked a bit like a bean- my dog’s nickname, coincidentally. There were other Priuses on the road, but few 2005 models. The Prius was innovative back then, a hybrid in a mostly gas-fueled world. It’s probably spring or summer where the Prius is now, and even if it’s not, it probably feels like it is inside the car. Having no AC in the back gave it that quality. The simple fabric seats were comfortable, and I preferred them to the fake leather of the minivan. The Prius never tried to be something it wasn’t. I’d like to think the Prius enjoyed watching the trees as it wound its way through the forest, for it was there quite often. All I could ever see was the seat in front of me, a brown or green blur out the window depending on the season (the occasional bee or mosquito, too), and the energy usage display on the dashboard. That sounded pessimistic- the view was quite nice. Maybe it’s the carsickness talking.
More soon!
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