Peugeot

It's been sitting in the carpark infront of our building since Thursday. A brand new Peugeot 407 Coupé. The latest model. Electric blue. Unusual color. Lovely car.

Me, am a Peugeot girl. The 406 was my first new car. Had it since 2001. The first brand new car that I actually bought with my own money. Mine, mine, mine. I'd driven a couple of disasterous, used cars before I could afford it but they don't count.

My 406 & me have been through a lot together. It has never let me down. It was the friend I could always rely on. Whenever I wasn't happy, I would go for long drives in it. I hid my cigarettes, my diaries & other secret stuff I couldn't keep at home in it. It almost made up for my not having my own apartment because it gave me a place to go when I wasn't happy with my parents or siblings & when I would get frustrated with being in my late twenties & still having to live at home etc....It was my home away from home. My 406 also survived my occasionally reckless driving - coming out of every accident intact - and helping to keep me intact without giving me any significant maintenance problems - except for the routine stuff. Despite having been through many accidents, I've never been injured in it. I feel comfortable and SAFE in it. So safe that I can go out anywhere anytime in it.

Ok I admit it. Lately, it has started complaining a bit & needing attention. I know that's because it's starting to get old but I just don't have the heart to replace it. Everytime I've even thought about that, it has felt like I was contemplating putting an aging, beloved pet to sleep.

So when I saw that brand new Peugeot(so new the license plate said 'Ta7t Altajroba') - I couldn't resist a few, longing glances at it. Then I felt disloyal, told myself I had a perfectly good, tried-and-true, mature car. I figured the new Peugeot had just been bought last week so the owner didn't have time to register it before the holidays started & everything closed on him.

This morning I saw it again. I was on my way to the mall, to find a pair of shoes to wear for New Year's - and a wedding anniversary present for my husband. I came back fairly quickly, having found the shoes but drawn a blank on the present.

And I saw my husband in the carpark - approaching the blue Peugeot - holding out the electronic key. Then I saw him get in the front seat, reach inside the glove compartment for some papers, then get out of the car with the papers, lock the car. When he turned to walk back into the building, I was roused out of my stupor.

I screamed out his name - like an idiot. I said what is this? He went red & mumbled something about how he didn't know what else to get me for our anniversary. So of course I screamed some more & jumped on him & made an unfortunate scene in the carpark.

When he finally managed to get me to calm down, we'd drawn quite a crowd of on-lookers. But they were all smiling indulgently so I guess that was ok. Then of course, I wanted to drive the new car. It was just as sexy to drive as it was to look at. I was completely infatuated.

We took it out of town - onto the highways in the desert - because I wanted to give it it's head. I didn't want to deal with traffic. The only down point was that we'd forgotten to bring any CD's so we had to make do with Radio Sawa. I never had a car with a CD changer before. Then we eventually got bored of the radio, switched it off and did our own singing.

At one point, when it started to get dark, it hit me that I'd completely forgotten my hair appointment, my manicure/pedicure appointment & my make-up appointment which meant that our friends & colleagues tonight are going to have to live with my natural beauty. I suggested that it was time we got home so I could start getting ready. He pointed out the fact that we'd never actually had sex in a car. A fact I could hardly dispute. I remembered the time when we first started dating, we were out for a drive & I accused him of driving me to a make-out spot. In response, he'd been all injured dignity, said he hadn't made out in a car since high-school, that it was adolescent & how could I even think he'd do such a thing?

I reminded him of this. And he said yes but I had a new car & anyway he felt it was ok to be adolescent the day before our wedding anniversary but only if it also happened to be New Year's Eve.

Well how could I say no to a man who had just given me a brand, new car of my favorite model? It's not like am any good at saying no to him when he hasn't given me anything so really, it would have been unreasonable to expect me to say no under the circumstances.

Phew. The emotional roller-coaster I've been through today. To start with, I was excited in an utterly-stupified kind of way. Then there was this rush of guilt, I've been a horrible wife, I don't deserve him, it was too much etc....And I started crying on him & insisting that he let me pay the monthly installments - or at least share because I didn't want to be such a burden etc....Upon which he told me 3aib 3laiky it's a gift haz3al minik etc....And he acted all hurt & disappointed. Which made me cry even more.

Now am feeling melancholy about my 406. What happens to it now? My husband - practical as ever - says that he worries about me because the car is not as reliable as it used to be, that he doesn't want it breaking down on me when am out late alone or something, that I really needed a new car because I was so say3a I spent so much time in the car etc....I asked if that was him accepting my saya3a. He said no but if at least I was safer while doing it then that's one thing less for him to worry about. Somehow I don't think that sounds like he's really thinking of divorcing me for staying out late no?

Oh btw, did I mention that I love him? I do.

And am in a complete panic about what am going to give him tomorrow. I should be shot. I spent half the time in the mall this morning looking for my shoes and not a gift for him. How can I match his gift? I can't afford to give him a new car. His taste in cars is way out of my budget. And even if I could afford it, everything is closed. The automobile agents, the banks, the insurance company etc...How can I get him a new car by tomorrow? How can I get a car loan by tomorrow?

And what else can I get him that would even come close?

Just got off the phone with my friend M. whose contribution to the matter could be summarized in two main points:

1) She hopes that I was really good on that backseat because I had a great husband & it was the least he deserved.
2) She thinks I should move my butt & start getting ready because they're all waiting for us.

We're going out in my new car tonight.