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October 6, 2008
Body Work and Other Adventures
About six months ago, a good friend gave us a car. It was a complete donation based on karma- someone had given it to him, it was in fine condition for what it was and he wanted to continue the chain. We accepted it without hesitation. After all, it is rare that a car just shows up on your doorstep with just the cost of insurance and gas accompanying it. We'd been tossing around the idea of a car for a while, anyway, and there it was.
I don't know anything about cars or car culture. My only experience with such things stems from the guys who hung out next door to our old apartment building, and their focus was on building and rebuilding sporty, racy things with loud engines. The Great White Whale is neither sporty nor racy. Nay, GWW is a Buick Park Avenue. We are often mistaken for a car service, which I think is really awesome.
So here's my question. Is it normal for people to lean out of their windows in parking lots and city streets and ask you if you want some reasonably priced body work done on your car? Because the GWW attracts this ALL THE TIME, in any borough we happen to be in, and I think once when we were in upstate NY somewhere. It always elicits the same raised eyebrow response from us, mainly because we kind of see ourselves as the least likely people to be driving a Buick Park Avenue in the first place (when I drive it, you can barely see my head over the dashboard. Between its nose and its ass, I never know where the car begins and ends, and for the first time in my life I have come to understand what it might be like to be a little old lady).
In other news, this was the first weekend in eons where we didn't have any mandatory heavy lifting or painting to do, so we spent it at Lowes and IKEA. Well, that's a slight exaggeration. But we did manage to get the blinds installed in the living room and test out our donated BBQ in the back yard. I also spazzed out and built a makeshift kitchen island out of crap in our basement (to make the kitchen more workable until next weekend when our next temporary but real island arrives), then baked a loaf of bread and make a tasty green pozole on Sunday.
We did miss Open House NY, though- the first time in years that we didn't go. Next time, I guess.
Posted by callalillie at October 6, 2008 6:15 AM | City Life , Random
I didn't realize you had returned from your blog hiatus and I'm happy to find you have. I've been catching up and I'm glad to hear about your new home.
On an odd, ain't-the-Internet-funny kind of note, I saw you and Alexis at the Atlantic Antic yesterday and I started to go up to you to say hello, when it dawned on me that WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW EACH OTHER.
Strange how reading someone's blog for so many years, seeing their photos, etc. can really make you feel like they're a part of your life; a friend. I couldn't find a way to explain this to my boyfriend yesterday. Anyway, you looked happy and relaxed. I hope you enjoyed the day!
Posted by: Ayelet at October 6, 2008 12:24 PM
LOL. They used to run up to me too. I think it depends on the neighborhood you're in. Either that or bodyshops are getting bizarrely competitive.
What is really funny is that the fender in question was in a previous accident a few years back and replaced at a shop who's services were advertised in just such a manner.
M
Posted by: Mark at October 6, 2008 2:17 PM
Hi! I don't know if you remember me from high school, but I found you on facebook via David, and I got addicted to your pretty pictures.
I just had to comment because that same thing happened to me the other day! I was driving over by the Queens Trader Joe's and some guy wanted to take the dent out of my car. Dumb me let him, and now I need to get the thing painted too! I had never heard of that before- and our last car could have used some work!
(Oh, and congratulations on your new house!)
Posted by: amy at October 6, 2008 7:41 PM
So glad to hear your house news.
I have NYC's most beat up bumpers and I'm proud of them. Each nick represents my skill at wedging into an impossibly too small parking space with success.
Almost every week from Park Slope to stopping at lights on 4th Avenue some guy thinks he's doing me a favor by offering his services at below repair shop prices.
Enjoy your wheels, and house, and watch out for tricky parking signs
Posted by: marcia at October 13, 2008 10:00 PM
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