And Then There Was A Bug Named Cyril
As I mentioned, in the flurry of the last several weeks, the three guys went down to Knoxville to look at a bug (Owen has been hunting them down all over the place for months now). I couldn't go because I had so much work to do. Of course they bought it...I figured they would. I had thought we might have to drive down to get it but it turns out shipping it was no more expensive than a night in a hotel and a tow bar and I wasn't crazy about driving a 1963 car for eight hours or whatever it is, on its first outing. So we wired the money and on Friday they emailed me and said the bug would be here the next day. Needless to say, there was great excitement in the land. The delivery people said they would call us and give us an estimated time.
Yesterday morning I slept latish and had just gotten up. I think I was holding my glass of iced tea but had gotten no further into the morning yet; I was still wondering whether we should make it to the farmers' market. Ernie was chatting to me and walked over to the front door and looked out the window. I have to stand on my toes to look out, but he's tall enough to just peer out casually. I swear to God, he popped straight up into the air. I have never seen this happen before. He yelled, "OMG, it's HERE," and levitated. I'm going to remember that moment for a long time. Ernie and Owen are well known for being slow to get ready. I have tried to point out to them that you can get ready at varying speeds and sometimes you have to move FAST to no avail. Ha, now I know what it takes. They raced around getting dressed and banging on Leo's door to wake him.
They hurtled out into the street where the driver had a long truck with three cars on it. Leo and I proceeded at a more leisurely pace and sat in the front yard to watch. The delivery guys got out of the truck and said to Ernie and Owen, in a heavy Eastern European accent, "very small car." Ernie and Owen grinned and Leo and I snorted a bit.
The whole process took a bit. The car in the back wouldn't start so he let it roll off in neutral but then we had to jump it with our car. And watching him back off the bug was nerve wracking. He'd start to veer off a bit and then have to pull forward to readjust. Watching the little bug try to go forward up the slope of the delivery truck, Leo said, "I don't think is made for hills." I said, "Eh, we live in Illinois," and we both grinned at each other.
Eventually it was down and Ernie zipped it up the alley to the garage. The delivery guy had them sign off on it and said, "Have fun." Heh, I'm not sure he understood the lure of the bug.
The DMV was closed for Labor Day, as was our insurance place, so we couldn't drive it, although they did take a few trips around the block. Owen was just about delirious with joy and when he'd beep its little horn it was almost too much for him. I did point out a couple times to everyone that this was a car for the FAMILY not just Owen. Owen just grinned, and said, "Just let me have this for a minute Cynthia." And of course we all know that it will eventually become his. I mean, love counts for a lot.
Last night when it was getting dark they were still fussing over it. I ended up making a piss poor dinner because I was distracted and it was so late. It didn't matter though. When Owen eventually came in, with the array of cleaners and things he'd been using on it, he said he hated leaving it out there; he felt like he should bring it in, wrap it in a blanket and give it hot chocolate.
Yes.
Oh, and he named it. I give you: Cyril the 63 Bug.