For Juan del Llano, anything was easier than facing his own life. Deciding he needed a new used car reacquainted him with how to blow off several days and still feel like he’d done something. Which he had, to be honest: hours of online research had finally produced a winner in the byways of his mind.
It was hard to describe how looking at the photos of the flame red 2001 Jeep Cherokee made him feel. Like he’d arrived, maybe, or would, if he could drive home in such a thing. The bumpers, grille, and wheel flares were body colored. It was one of the sweetest looking 4wd machines he’d ever seen. He saw himself out in the desert, no one else around, just him and a shiny red Jeep, a solid, dependable (very red) vehicle that would allow him to go almost anywhere. And lo, his fate was sealed, for he had found the perfect drug.
Never mind how he’d effect the initial transaction without any cash, he only needed to draw the prize to him. The way to this wasn’t clear, but he figured whatever felt good would work. For now, it was simply wonderful to imagine all the things he could do with a shiny red Jeep Cherokee, besides feed it copious amounts of gas. Why, he could go to Socorro. He could go to Chaco Canyon. He could hump over the mountain from Angel Fire to whatever the little town was called before one got to the raspberry ranch. He could do just about anything, in fact, if he ignored the other realities of buying a used car, as well as the fact that he’d never driven any Jeeps at all.
What he really liked, aside from the red—the colors even matched his website and the “Pentax” embroidered on his camera strap—was that the beast was powerful. The 190 hp straight six would provide plenty of grunt for a 3,300 pound vehicle that also wasn’t a Toyota, but a fine American design, gloriously outdated solid front axle and all. Maybe he’d be able climb out of the canyon without downshifting or praying for the muscle car he’d never owned. It was certainly something to think about, and we know he did.
Two nights ago, he’d driven his wife to her favorite restaurant. She didn’t know what a Cherokee was, and he said he hoped they’d see one on the way, so he could show her. The first vehicle they encountered was a Cherokee. In the next minute and a half, they saw two others, and both of them were red! The gods were with him, Juan decided.
He only wondered why he hadn’t asked for more.
No related posts.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
yupper, prof John, soon as ya get that bee in yer bonnet, they come outta the woodwork, eh?
cheers
They certainly do! Now all I have to do is make the same thing work with dollar bills, then I can buy the sucker.
AMAZING how the power of “THINKING” seems to work, eh?!?
Now – when you discover how to make the dollar bills appear…PLEASE share THAT info!! : )
and YUP…you (and/or I) would look REAL good in that ride!
I think it has to do with being happy in a certain way. Seriously.
At any rate, yes, who can fault a shiny red Jeep? However, i do have to point out that the post is about Juan del Llano. There will probably be more Juan del Llano stories, too, and while there may or may not be a great deal of my own experience involved in the writing, Juan is very much his own man and not to be trusted. As opposed to me, I mean.
Hmmmm….that mysterious Juan….always hanging around causing trouble, whispering dangerous and/or hopeful words….pulling you out of your comfort zone…..I know someone similar named Estevan……be ever vigilant!! : )