Tuesday 12/27

Lucky smiles in anticipation. (Note Santa's shadow on the hood.)

In the morning, we readied Lucky for a long day's journey to Lincoln's Tomb. Most of the preparations consisted of harassing Motel 6 personnel (remember, I'm in full Santa gear, right down to the boots).

"Hey, whadja get for Xmas?"
Room cleaner: "I got an engagement ring!"
"Well? What do you say?"
Room cleaner: "Huh? Oh . . . thank you, Santa."
"Don't mention it."

Last night Lucky fully lived up to the VROOOOM painted on his rear quarterpanel. This morning I felt like repainting it to read PFFFFT. Lucky wouldn't even idle properly and was making strange grumbling noises. This isn't striking the desired chord.

The view from the rear-view mirror. (Arrow indicates cop car.)

To make matters worse, not two minutes out of the motel parking lot a cop car began following us. Where were the cops last night when we needed a place to sleep? I attempt to activate Lucky's Invisibility Vector Button--nothing. Only now do I discover that the car has no powers of invisibility, that what I assumed to be the Invisibility Vector Button is in fact--a cigarette lighter? What could Detroit have been thinking--I'm supposed to want a cigarette at a time like this? I curse Detroit's lack of prevision as I watch the cops radio in our Michigan plates. We're hoping the car isn't stolen or strewn with contraband (we forgot to check). So I did what any jolly Santa would do--I waved at them. They waved back and turned off a few blocks later.