Sitting in the spartan, dingy lobby of the auto shop, waiting while my Venza gets an oil change. I've got a birthday gathering for my brother Donaldo, at my mom's house, in an hour or so. That'll be fun. Ender's car, the yellow Yaris, got broken into while he was at work. They broke the window but didn't take anything. Strange though. I wondered if someone had just vandalized it, but the car was unlocked (Ender was sure he had left it locked) so they did open it. Do people even steal stereos anymore? I had upgraded my sound system before I sold the car to Ender, and it's not incredible or anything but it is a solid unit. I was also wondering if they were trying to steal it, but couldn't because it was a stick shift. Still, if it's an easier car to steal (and I'm not sure that it is) why would someone steal a bright yellow car? I've only ever seen one other yellow Yaris in my years of driving it (I was coming out of the Lowe's parking lot and at the stop sign directly across from me was a yellow Yaris. We both waved excitedly at each other, and gave each other the secret sign that all Yaris owners give to indicate that we're still loyal to the secret Yaris Mafia. It's a very compact efficient reliable Mafia...but perhaps I've said too much.)
It occurs to me just now, at this very moment as I joke about Mafia ties, that I do have a handful of what I would call "harm-wishers." Not enemies exactly, in that I don't think I'm being actively hunted (unless you are actively hunting me in which case I know exactly what you're up to and just because I haven't done anything about it, don't think I underestimate you; I'm just pretty lazy about doing all that Batman plans-within-plans, wheels-within-wheels stuff.) While I don't think I'm being actively hunted, I think someone hurling a rock at my car is about the level I'd expect. It's a unique vehicle.
I'm no mathematician, but it used to be that if you saw a yellow Yaris and threw a rock at it, there was a fifty percent chance it was mine.
Not anymore though. Its new owner is a good kid, kind, considerate, hardworking, and helps out his mom.
It's a beautiful day.
