It all started one night when I was at my in-law’s house.  My sweet husband was outside working on cars.  (Yes, cars plural…our main car in preparation for the road trip….and our second car in preparation for selling.)  It was getting late and when the Pilot came to a stopping place, we said farewell to his family and headed out to our cars.

The Thunderbird (the car I drive) was parked behind the Neon (the Pilot’s car).  As soon as I climbed in the car, I noticed a weird smell. Leather?  Immediately, I knew there was a strong possibility that there was some creep in the backseat of the car.  I bravely turned around and examined the back.  Nothing.  Not quite satisfied, I searched again.  Still nothing.  Well, that’s good.

But the smell remained.  Maybe “they” had planted drugs in the car?  No, of course not.  That’s silly.

So I glance up to see if the Pilot was ready to go, but the trunk to his car was still open.  He must still be loading things from the house.  Okay, well, I’ll just go ahead and go and meet him at home.

Placing my hands on the steering wheel, I froze.  This was not our steering wheel.  It felt a lot bigger and softer.  I was in someone else’s car!!  I panicked a little, but when I looked around, I saw all the familiar things of our car.  Yet it still smelled funny and felt funny.  Oh, well.  It must be our car.

These seconds of panic feel like several minutes when you’re actually there in the moment.  But finally I put the car in drive and looked up to see that the Pilot and his car were nowhere in sight.  This increased my uneasiness, but I knew that I was over reacting and he had just pulled out and I missed it.  I had to act on faith.  I pulled out and started driving, all the while wondering if I was taking someone else’s car.  Not too far up the road I saw what looked like the Pilot’s car on the side of the road…and he was standing by it.

What?  What’s going on?  Did he pop a tire?  Did he forget something?  Why didn’t he turn around and go back if he forgot something?  Debating what my course of action should be, I finally decided that if something were wrong, he would text me to come back.  So I kept driving, keeping my ears alert for the sound of my phone.  Nothing.

The whole drive was the weirdest thing ever.  Finally I realized what had happened.  That day while my love was working on the cars, he had bought a new steering wheel cover for the Thunderbird.  Thus the new smell and the new feel.

And my husband on the side of the road?  Yep, he had accidentally driven off with his trunk open.  But obviously he realized it before going too far.

Why, yes, I do have a vivid imagination.  😉

-Bonnie