Ellynn
Did your twenty-year high school reunion already pass?
Erykah
Girl, bye!
I locked my door and took the elevator to the lobby. As I arrived, an old Jeep-like vehicle pulled up to the curb. A man jumped out from the driver’s side and came around.
My mouth dropped.
What was Chris doing driving a jalopy? That thing was ancient. I pushed through the front door and left the warmth of the building.
“What on earth is that?” I pointed toward the blue sports utility vehicle.
“A Bronco.”
“A what now?”
Chris’s lips quirked into a half smile. “It’s vintage.” He held the door open, motioning me in.
I buckled up, then held on to the puppy. Once Chris sat down, I asked him my burning question. “How old is something before you can label it vintage?”
“It’s a 1975 Ford Bronco. It could get collector license plates if I promised not to drive it above collector limits.”
“I’m stunned. I thought you’d be driving some ecofriendly vehicle, not a gas guzzler.”
“It is ecofriendly.”
I looked around the vehicle, trying to see what I was missing. Spotting no obvious clues, I turned to Chris. “Explain.”
“Some people think, ‘Oh no, my car is harming the planet.’ Then they go buy a hybrid or electric vehicle that has all the eco bells and whistles. They don’t take into account the carbon footprint it cost to make a brand-new vehicle or what will happen to the so-called planet-harming car they just ditched.”
“So you’re saying driving an older car that probably couldn’t pass emissions testing is better?”
“If it still runs well. I’m not creating more waste by purchasing a new vehicle, and I get all the standard maintenance completed so that itdoesn’tfail emissions testing. Though it is older, so technically it doesn’t have to take the test.”
“And the gas you’re buying?”
“This car runs on unleaded, so it’s no different than yours.”
“I’m kind of shocked.”
He chuckled. “I make up for it with my house.”
“Is that vintage too?”
“It’s a log cabin. I collect rainwater to use and live in a way that astonishes most people.”
“Including your friends?” I wondered about them. Chris had been so vague describing his friends. Maybe he was waiting to see if I would be a good friend before sharing more information. That, I could understand.
“Not in a horrifying way, but it does provide fodder for them to tease me with. In fact, they were just texting me about it. You can read for yourself. Nothing incriminating.”
He handed me his cell phone.
Giddiness flowed through me at the trust he was extending. “Oh, you have to unlock it.”
“Right.” He stopped at the light and typed in his password. He scrolled through and grinned. “Start at ‘It’s going to rain tomorrow’ and read on down.”
