ALL STORY LIST | CHAPTERS - CH 1 | CH 2 | FINAL PART
Andy needed a new car. His old sedan had crossed two hundred thousand miles three months ago. Now the check engine light stayed on permanently, and the transmission made a grinding sound every time he shifted into reverse. His mechanic, a bald man named Sal who spoke through a cigar, said the repair cost would exceed the car's value.
"You need something practical," Sal said. "Something with good gas mileage."
Andy worked in sales across three states. He visited customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Some weeks he drove twelve hundred miles. His company reimbursed him for mileage, but the reimbursement did not cover constant repairs.
On a Tuesday afternoon in March 2019, Andy walked onto a used car lot. The lot sat on a hill overlooking the highway. Rows of sedans and trucks reflected the grey spring sky. A salesman named Jerry approached him with a clipboard.
"How much you looking to spend?" Jerry asked.
"Under ten thousand. Something reliable. Good on gas."
Jerry pointed toward the back of the lot. "Got a few hybrids back there. People trade them in when they want something bigger."
Andy walked past SUVs and pickup trucks. Near the fence line, a small hatchback sat alone. The paint was light blue, almost silver in certain light. The car looked clean. No rust. No dents. The tires had decent tread.
"What's this?" Andy asked.
Jerry checked his clipboard. "Two thousand fifteen Honda Fit. Forty-two thousand miles. One owner. Clean Carfax. Nine thousand even."
Andy circled the car. The shape seemed unusual, almost like a small bubble. The windows wrapped around the back in a curve. He opened the driver's door and sat inside. The seats felt comfortable. The dashboard had simple controls. He looked at the rear seats, which folded flat into the floor.
"That's the magic seat feature," Jerry said. "Folds completely down. You can haul almost anything back there."
Andy pushed the seat down. The space opened up. He imagined loading samples and supplies for his customer visits. The cargo area could hold more than his old sedan.
"Let me drive it," Andy said.
They took the car onto the highway. The engine started quietly. The acceleration felt smooth but not fast. At seventy miles per hour, the cabin remained quiet. Andy noticed the fuel economy gauge showing forty-two miles per gallon. His old car got twenty-three.
"I'll take it," Andy said.
Jerry smiled. "Good choice. This car will save you a lot of money."
They completed the paperwork in thirty minutes. Andy wrote a check for the full amount. He did not want monthly payments. Jerry handed him the keys and a second set in a plastic bag.
"You're all set," Jerry said.
Andy drove the car back to his apartment. The drive took twenty minutes. He parked in his assigned spot and looked at the car from his kitchen window. The light blue color seemed brighter now that the sun had come out.
His roommate Paul came home an hour later. Paul worked in IT and wore glasses with thick black frames. He spotted the car immediately.
"Whose bubble car is that?" Paul asked.
"Mine," Andy said. "Bought it today."
Paul walked outside to examine the vehicle. He opened the driver's door, then the rear hatch. He pushed the magic seat up and down.
"This thing is tiny," Paul said. "The guys are going to give you crap about this."
"I don't care what they say," Andy replied. "It gets good mileage. I need to save money."
Paul shrugged. "Your call. But Rich is going to have a field day."
Andy knew Paul was right. Rich worked in the same office building. He drove a black Ford F-250 that never carried anything heavier than a bag of groceries. Rich made jokes about everyone's choices, especially car choices.
The next morning, Andy drove to work. The car started instantly. The seats warmed up quickly. He noticed how easy the steering felt, how the car seemed to know exactly where he wanted to go. Traffic moved slowly, but the car fit into small spaces without trouble.
He parked in the office lot. Rich's truck sat three spaces away, taking up two spots as usual. Andy walked inside and poured coffee from the break room pot.
Rich appeared behind him. "Saw your new ride," Rich said. "That thing looks like a rollerskate."
"It's a Honda Fit," Andy said. "Forty-two miles per gallon."
"Forty-two miles per gallon of what? Perfume?" Rich laughed at his own joke.
Mike walked into the break room. He worked in accounting and wore a tie with cartoon characters on it. "What's funny?" Mike asked.
"Andy bought a chick car," Rich said. "A little blue bubble with flower power."
"It's not a chick car," Andy said. "It's practical."
Mike looked out the window at the lot. "That blue one? With the round back?"
"Yes," Andy said.
"That does look like a chick car," Mike said. "My sister drives something similar."
Andy drank his coffee and said nothing. He had heard worse comments before. People always had opinions about things that did not matter.
Paul came in late, holding a bagel. "Leave him alone," Paul said to Rich. "The babes will love his new wheels."
"Thank you," Andy said.
"Because they will all want to drive your car," Paul said. "It's cute and easy to park."
Andy finished his coffee and walked to his cubicle. He had reports to finish before a noon meeting. The car comments faded from his mind.
That evening, Andy drove to his girlfriend's apartment. Her name was Nina. She worked as a graphic designer and lived in a complex with a fountain in the courtyard. Andy parked next to her red sedan.
Nina came outside to meet him. She wore jeans and a grey sweatshirt. Her dark hair hung past her shoulders.
"That's the new car?" she asked.
Andy nodded. "Just got it yesterday."
Nina walked around the vehicle. She opened the rear hatch and pressed the magic seat. "This is actually nice," she said. "The space in back is smart."
She sat in the passenger seat. Andy got behind the wheel. They drove to a Thai restaurant three miles away. Andy noticed how quiet the cabin stayed, even on the rough city streets.
"I like this car," Nina said. "It feels comfortable. Like it belongs to someone who thinks ahead."
Andy smiled. "That's what I wanted. Something that works for my life."
They ate dinner and talked about their weeks. Nina had a project due Friday. Andy had customer visits in Pennsylvania the following week. The conversation moved easily, without effort. Andy realized he felt more relaxed than usual. Maybe the car's comfortable seats helped. Maybe the smooth ride helped.
After dinner, Andy drove Nina home. She touched his hand before getting out.
"Good choice on the car," she said. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Andy drove back to his apartment. The streetlights reflected off the car's hood. He parked and sat for a moment, looking at the dashboard. The simple green glow of the instruments seemed calming. He turned off the engine and went inside.
Paul sat on the couch watching a basketball game. "How was dinner?" he asked.
"Good," Andy said. "Nina likes the car."
Paul laughed. "Of course she does. It's a chick car."
Andy walked to his bedroom without responding. He changed clothes and lay on his bed. The apartment felt quiet. The basketball announcer's voice came through the wall. Andy closed his eyes and thought about the car, about the way it moved through traffic, about the forty-two miles per gallon. He did not care what Rich or Mike or Paul thought. The car worked for him.
He fell asleep thinking about the open road.