One and my friends and I happen to work in the same town about a half hour from home. I have on a few occasions taken her to and from work, on days when her husband needs her car. She emailed me last night to ask if I wanted to carpool on a regular basis, given the ever-rising cost of gas. This simple question aroused in me an immediate, primal response…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…hmmm…. I grew up a California girl. Your car was your life. You can’t get anywhere without one. I have been an East Coast transplant since 1974, and have come to love public transportation, when it is available. LOVE the T in Boston. BUT I like to have my car available to me just in case.
The other issue is me. I LOVE my drive time to and from work. I listen to books on tape, I watch the seasons change the scenery of my commute, I breathe the smells of hayfields and horse farms. I decompress. And an essential requirement for this enjoyment is that I am alone.
I was proud of myself. I emailed her back and told her that I wanted to have my car at work all the time, but that I would be happy to take her tomorrow. A compromise. Hopefully her feelings won’t be hurt and definitely I will continue to enjoy me quiet commutes.
I can definitely relate. I treasure my time alone and I have my own “alone in the car” things in mind to do – catch up on podcasts, listen to the silence, think about something, or whatever. The pressure of having to carry on an actual conversation on a regular basis would do me in. Congratulations for holding on to that for yourself.
I agree. I would hate to have to have to have a conversation with somebody every day to and from work.
Good girl,Lynna. You did the right thing. I would feel the same way and don’t have nearly the drive that you do. I like to leave when I want to and stop where I need to on the way home. Now and then it might work, but not every day.
Hope