Where Did You Park?

Where did you park?

It’s a simple question in countries where people are born and raised in automobiles, starting with kids’ strollers/prams. 

Failure to answer it can result in a smile because sometimes we forget where we parked the car. Is it Level B or C, one or two streets down? The smile slowly fades when the answer has cracked bits and pieces, like a windscreen damaged by hailstorm.

The bits and pieces are about marriages that reached the end of the road and material possessions had to be divided, with the wife getting the car because she takes the kids to school. It may be cars that came with the job. We were laid off before the pandemic so we surrendered the car keys together with electronic keys for the office building. We can say the car is in the repair shop because of mechanical problems.

We don’t have to divulge the whole story that the garage is holding it hostage until we pay for work done. We could try another story. It was a two-year lease, but the business we started never got off the ground, so we had to return the car. We can take excuses to the next level and talk about the environment. We are still looking for an affordable electric car because we don’t want to pollute the environment with gas emissions.

Where did you park?

There’s no answer because you don’t have a car but it doesn’t change who you are, your character and your loyalty to family, church and state. Yes, it does. We are what we wear and drive.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.