The Mini Cooper

This one is for Zac, who gave me the prompt, and Holly, who told me that the grass isn't greener on the other side, it's just different grass.



Once upon a time there was a little mini cooper. Her name was Fae and she was a beautiful plum color with dark grey interior. She sat in the lot day after day with all the other cars, watching the road and longing for the day she, too, would be out there with a proud owner. She dreamt often about the amazing sights she would see. She dreamt of the gravel roads of a mountain pass, and the white sand of the beach in her tires, and the starry skies peeking between snowy trees. 

But weeks had passed, and then months, and no one had even so much as taken a look at her. Fae slowly became more and more depressed and her daydreams became much more simple. She began to hate the cars that drove by on the busy road next to the dealership. She had stopped playing and joking with the other cars at night. When a salesman put a sign in her windshield, Fae no longer cared that she could not see the cars passing by on the road any longer. She didn't want to see them.

When people did pull into the dealership, Fae simply sighed. No one could afford her sun roof and her cd player and those who could would leave the dealership with green cars, or smart cars. Fae was neither. Fae was just a little luxury mini cooper that everyone overlooked.

It was just another day when a beat-up grayed impala entered the lot. Its front left bumper had been badly damaged and one of its lights didn't work. It rattled and squealed as it turned in. A man stepped out of it with his wife and baby girl and went immediately to Fae. They talked to the salesman a bit, but Fae wasn't listening. She just sighed and stared.

But, wait, what was that? Her door opened! An excited person had sat inside her! Suddenly all of the dreams rushed through the little car as her engine was turned on. She felt new and alive! She loved the tickle of the baby in the backseat, and the thrill of her oil being checked.

The man stepped out and ran his hand over her hood which made Fae giggle with glee. Was this it? Was this her ticket out of this boring old dealership! The people exchanged paper! Oh, it was! FInally, Fae revved joyfully and danced her way out of the lot and onto the black paved road. It felt so wonderful to be out and about! The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and Fae couldn't be more excited!

She wondered where they were headed to! Someplace exotic, she was sure of it. Oh, she couldn't wait to see the miles of cornfields and giant blue mountains and curvy roads she had dreamt of all her life!

But after only a ten minute ride, Fae found herself making one turn on a straight road. Around her were houses that looked exactly the same, except for different colors, and landscaping placed as a bad attempt for individuality. This is not what Fae had in mind at all!

After less than a mile, Fae turned into the slightly sloped driveway that would be her new home. She drove to the same buildings day after day within the same 15 miles on the same busy roads surrounded by the same ugly concrete buildings. Over time, her beautiful plum color became spotted with tree sap and bird droppings. Her interior was stained with raspberry ice and ketchup and a plethora of baby juices. Her floors were littered with dead leaves, old socks, and paper fast-food bags filled with rotting french fries.

Sinking into the pavement below her, she realized, she wasn't built to go over rugged roads or in sandy beaches. She was a mini cooper, and her home was with this family. As she sat night after night, she wondered about her old friends in the dealership lot. She dreamt about her days when she could daydream about her future, when she was hopeful that she would someday have the smooth pavement under her tires and an exciting road in front of her. But the pavement isn't any smoother outside the lot, it's just different pavement.


-Cynthia Smallwood
March 27th, 2009