Elizabeth Taylor…aka Lizzie

I’ve had the Lexus for almost six months and I finally named her.

Lizzie after I earned the 13.1 sticker

To understand the importance of this you must first understand my relationship with my cars.  I name most of them and love them. I listen to music in them when I’m driving and alone. I LOVE driving.  I have so many memories of wonderful things happening in cars. Things by myself, things with my friends, adventures and ex boyfriends.   I could write stories upon stories alone about things that happened in cars. The first one was Dad’s 1978 Dark Blue Ford Ltd. Also of less note was Mom’s 1980 Ford LTD Station Wagon complete WITH  green paint and dark  brown faux wood trim.   There was the POS Audi I just HAD to have that was nothing but pain in my wallet for the price of vanity in my ego.    There was the lima bean, my Toyota Tercel with no air conditioning.  And then the two big loves of my car life, the Red Honda Civic Ex  with the window tinting 5-speed and sun roof followed by Margaret the Mazda.  Oh there was very brief dalliance with Sophie the Mid 1980 something Fiat Sypder.

But I digress, fodder for another time, back to the Lexus…

Margaret has been in my life for 9 years and she has seen better days.  I was committed to driving her until she died a ptiful oil leaked death when due to some very clever marketing on behalf of Lexus The Husband asks me if I’d like to get a Lexus. Of course I want a Lexus. I’ve always wanted a Lexus. It’s the exact level of classy, sexy, professional but sleek that beckons to me. I’ve wanted a Lexus since the ES series was at 300 and coach leather interiors and two tone paint jobs were the symbol of successful 90’s life statements. The Lexus is my  Big Girl car.  My I am a WOMAN car.  I love this car, I love driving it I love parking it I love seeing it the parking lot I love that The Husband pays for it.  I jokingly call it my I guess if you almost get divorced you get a Lexus car.

I few days ago I was having a particularly great driving day.  It was warm and sunny but not too hot, the skies were blue and the traffic was not too bad. I was relaxed and the i-tunes God’s were delivering repeated perfect songs with perfect lyrics to suit my mood and mind wandering.  Yes, It’s that bad with me and music in cars.   Anyway, my mind was wandering to what to name her. So far Bessie was the front runner but it didn’t quite suit.  I wanted something classy, grown-up, iconic, something strong and powerful, but it still had to evoke fun and a little bit of Bad Gurl.  This could not be your grandma’s Lexus.   I started running through possibilities in my head, Grace Kelly, Princess Grace, Princess Kate. Dang it, nothing fits. And then it hits me out of nowhere.  A phone conversation I had with Mini Boobs.  Elizabeth Taylor had just died, and she was reminded of me.   We talked about Elizabeth Taylor and what a classic she was.  I was genuinely flattered to even be considered in the same company.  She a beauty, a smart business woman, a heck of a romantic life and when she died,  maybe even a tiny bit crazy. But that was ok because Shes’ Elizabeth Taylor bitch, shes’ earned it.  Let her ride out her street cred at the twilight of her years and die a legend.   In honor of Elizabeth Taylor the Lexus shall  be referred to as Lizzie from now on.  And you know what, I just might end up the Grandma who drives a Lexus after all.