The Dadmobile

Something tells me I should enjoy the 4x4 Frontier while I still can. A requirement for buying it two years ago was that it be able to fit and anchor a car seat, which it does. But I’m not sure it feels like what a responsible family man should be driving around. It’s cramped, for one thing, with mom and baby generally in the backseat cooing at each other – and me not that far way from them up front.

The idea of the Frontier was that it would carry sound equipment and instruments to gigs, be great for shopping of all kinds, as well as the odd bit of hauling. Last fall I carted three cords of wood from my friend Read’s house to our driveway as well as about a dozen tarps full of leaves to the woods near our home. The truck really has done more gig duty than I could have hoped for when I bought it, and it has done it well. With the roof racks, I’ve been able to carry around my longboard, too, sometimes surfing just before or after a gig. Puts everything in perspective.

No one’s asking me to get rid of the truck, by the way. And it may not happen at all. Maybe instead of switching to a minivan what I really need to do is get a bigger four-door pickup. Yessss!!! At any rate, more will be revealed on this score.

For the record, I saw gas for $2.55 a gallon yesterday and thought, “Thank you, God.” What a strange world we live in when two and a half bucks seems like a good price for gas. W. and Co. have really been putting it to us, if you hadn't noticed. What an interesting coincidence that fuel prices have been elevated during W.’s entire presidency! (It’s not all due to the demand in China and our recent hurricanes, friends, trust me.)