May 15, 2003

  • Yesterday, I drove an unusual way to get to the massage appointment.

    Before I go any further, I have to say that I’ve always wanted a scooter. Like a Vespa or a Honda Helix. 250ccs of raw nerdiness, despite Lou Reed’s endorsement.

    For a short while, I was really into Vespas. Not as in, ‘Gee, it’d be nice to have a Vespa,’ but as in, ‘I’ve done some research and it turns out that Vespas have cracking problems here and here, and the company started up just after World War Two, to fill the transportation gap left after wartime shortages, and ‘vespa’ is Italian for ‘wasp.” Because that’s how I am about these things.

    So along the way to the massage, I saw this Helix in a driveway with a for sale sign on it. It was in really good shape. It was bright red. It had a for sale sign. I had to pause.

    Then in my mind I went to a place where I had the scooter, and it was sitting in a garage, or in a driveway somewhere, covered with one of those canvas motorcycle covers. There it was, sitting all alone and unused. I saw myself get into the car instead of putting on my helmet and unwrapping the scooter. I saw myself wishing I knew how to fix the thing.

    So I looked at the Helix, there in the driveway. I didn’t even bother to find out how much they were asking for it. I just drove on. I thought to myself, ‘My desire for a scooter comes from long, long ago. It’s rooted in a sort of gimme-gimme consumerism that is an unfortunate part of the culture in which I live. They want to be rid of it, too.’

    Then I began thinking about other desires I should challenge in this way. What else is irrelevant in the here and now?

    I came up with a few things. Some of them are a little more disturbing than I thought they’d be, and might be the subject of future ‘blogs.

    Ultimately, I got around to thinking: I should just enjoy the scenery. Scooters are cool, but I have no need for one. I’ll still enjoy seeing people ride them.

    And, just then… A guy on a scooter came zooming the other way on the street. It was an ancient Vespa which he had obviously put a great deal of work into customizing. It was bright orange, with black stripes on the rear cowling, making it look like a wasp. His helmet had two big compound eyes painted on it in glitter paint. It went by: BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzz…

Comments (8)

  • you raise a GREAT issue here.  the idea that we can consciously over-ride urges that have been programmed so deeply during our time in this culture that we falsely interpret these subconscious reactions to be plain truths.  as in: i want it and that’s a REAL, HONEST feeling and so i should definitely act on that.

    i’ve been dealing with this too, lately.  it takes a LOT of effort to be honest with yourself about the real root of desire.  and to come to that place where, as you pointed out, we can enjoy something without having to POSSESS it.

    bravo.

  • I’m pretty sure any scooter would suck in Seattle’s climate. Yuck.

  • I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t want to be ANYWHERE in traffic riding a vehicle with a namesake that happens to be one of the main components of ‘Bug Tar’.

    Wait…lemme think.

    Yep, I’m sure.

  • Ok…suffice to say I don’t buy into the whole  ’My desire for a scooter..[is]…rooted in a sort of gimme-gimme consumerism that is an unfortunate part of the culture in which I live.’ stuff…but hey, whatever gets you through the day. 

    I think it’s just the natural human appeal of novelty and play.  “Hey, that’s cool…bet it would be fun to ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz around on that.” :makes gestures and noise like riding a scooter:

    See if you can borrow or rent a scooter from someone for a while (might even get lucky and find an old Vespa or Helix)…get the desire to play with one out of your system…and give it back when the “newness” has worn off.  No ownership required. 

  • OMIGAWD, I’m Scooter Obsessed!

    I want one so bad i can feel my body shake every single time one drives by but the climate in Rochester is MUCH less conducive to scooters than Seattle.

  • Temptation croons at you, wagging it’s finger under your nose…

  • Sej: The desire for a scooter doesn’t define me. It can come and go, as I’ve pointed out. I wanted one because it would be fun to drive one around. I can have fun in other ways, and I can rent a scooter if I really need to. The persistent desire to own one comes from somewhere else; it’s not me.

    Maybe it comes from the same place that tells me it’s OK to eat at least two out of every three meals at a drive-thru, in which case the clear culprit is gimme-gimme consumer culture.

  • I dunno…I bet if you borrowed one (a scooter)…drove it around until the newness wore off and returned it…what you call the “persistant desire to own one” would be gone.

    And maybe the “place that tells you it’s OK to eat two out of three meals at a drive-thru” is the same as the one that tell me the same thing.  In my case, it’s because I’m lazy and hate to clean dishes and pots and silverware…and the whole “cooking thing”, as my mind keeps reminding me while I’m trying to do it, ”wastes” valuable time I’d much rather apply to other things in my life that I enjoy doing.  If I were the sort of person who digs food more than my recreation (or if cooking WERE my recreation) I’m sure I’d probably rarely eat out.

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