The Devil's Car?

It hit me yesterday, when I called the local Mazda store to make a service appointment for the New Car. The 'Check Engine' light has taken to flashing when it's cold outside... totally unacceptable in a car with only 3,700 miles on it.

"What year is your car?" 2006

"Make?" Mazda, duh. I'm calling a Mazda service department because I hear you guys do great work on Lexuses, and all that lush carpeting, leather furniture and free champagne in their service departments all struck me as a bit gauche. I want Formica and laminate tile, damn it!

"Model?" 6. That's either a really cool name for a car, or a really stupid one. Haven't decided which. (An entirely new post could be devoted to 'remember when cars had actual names?' Technically, it's referred to as a "Mazda6," one word. Which is even cooler. Or dumber.)

"Engine?" V6.

A pause. "That's a lot of sixes," the advisor says with a laugh.

I'd never really thought about it... but yeah, three sixes, all in a row. Cue ominous music. I silently begged the advisor to ask what kind of transmission it has, so I could emphatically shout "6-speed automatic! Yeah! FOUR sixes! The Curse is lifted!"

Actually, I find this entire exchange highly ironic. For starters, I don't buy into the whole "Devil's Number" thing... although I do suspect George W. is the Antichrist (although I would think Satan would have picked someone smarter. And more likable. And did I mention smarter?)

I've also referred to the 6 as something of a good luck charm -- only partly joking -- because the news on the medical front started getting better as soon as I got it. I know there aren't really such things as "good luck charms" and omens, but still... I got the same feeling when, after I got home from a doc appointment back in early October (I've forgotten which doctor it was) I heard an odd sound overhead. I looked up just as a Piaggio Avanti came buzzing overhead, to land at Addison. I was heartened by the sight, and took it as a positive sign. And as far as I know, it worked.

I've taken to looking for signs. No, that's not quite right. I'm SEEING signs everywhere... and they're making me feel very hopeful.

And as for owning the Devil's Car? Well, the devil you know...