After my friend Jamie bought his wife her new car he was disappointed to learn she wasn’t as pleased as he’d expected. After all, he’d spent nearly a year’s salary on a top of the line model, one fully automated that rode as smoothly as if riding on a jet plane at 35,000 feet. He’d also used some Groupon promo codes to see that her wardrobe was in tune with her new vehicle; even to the point of showing her a selection of new handbags from Kate Spade. He described her reaction to me while we sat at the bar.
“Man, she was more excited over those damn handbags than she was over a $75,000 car.” I managed to hold back my smile since I could see he was truly dismayed over spending a year’s salary when less than a weeks’ income would have sufficed. I told him his wife’s prompt use of the Groupon to buy the bag she finally chose showed how much she appreciated his thoughtfulness. But that only irked him more.
“Man, can’t you see I could have taken her someplace where we could have enjoyed ourselves together, and bankrolled that money I used for the car? Why we’d have had enough cash to spend a week in the Caribbean. And I wouldn’t have ended up having to pay all those bills and expenses on the frigging car.” He waved his beer stein at the barmaid, who promptly refilled it.
“What’s she do with the car now?” I asked as he took a swig. “She won’t even touch it, dude,” he muttered as he wiped foam from his mouth. “Don’t you see it sitting there in the parking lot?” I looked out the window. “You mean that’s your wife’s car you’re driving?” I asked, unable to keep the shock from my voice. He nodded. “No sense keepin’ a beauty like that sittin’ around in the driveway. Hey, get my man here another beer!” I tried to refuse but the glass was filled before I spoke. I stared at him. I guess the money he saved using those Groupons could have put new tires on the little car I owned that sat parked beside that gleaming hunk of steel in the evening twilight. I only wished I had a wife who preferred high-quality handbags over expensive cars, I thought while finishing my beer.
