Smart Car
by Doug Hawley
38: When Carla Met Zeke
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Duke went to one of his
favorite spots on Lake Oswego with Carla.
Carla who switched between male Carl and female
Carla had told Duke that she was Carla today
because “I enjoy being a girl” followed
by an excellent rendition of the song. Duke and
Carla were both in a good mood.
They found a place to park
close to the docked boats and were surprised by
being asked “What’s up guys”
without seeing any cars or humans around.
The voice followed up with “Over here in
slip 23.”
Duke and Carla encountered
what appeared to be a normal boat except for a
small metal structure in the middle of the boat.
Carla asked, “Are you
a talking boat?”
“That’s right, I’m
Zeke. Intelligent boats have only been
around for a year or so. I’m one of
the first in the area. Our brains and
energy source are pretty much the same as cars,
but we operate in the water.”
Duke wondered “Are you
on your own, or do you have people?”
“A little of each.
Most of the time I’m on my own to go
wherever I want in the lake, but sometimes my
human family father Chris, wife Jan, and the kids
Jake and Jem ride me in the lake or take me to
the Willamette or the Columbia. I’m
not checked out for ocean going yet. That
will take some upgrades. How about you is
it just you two?”
Duke answered “No,
there are my wife Sheila and her cars Deuce and
Josie. We got hitched a little too late for
children. We think of the cars as our
children.”
Zeke told Duke and Carla
“I love our family. Chris and Jan are
good humans, and their kids are a hoot.
They drive me crazy with their pranks.
Ramming speed Mr. Zeke, take us down to forty
fathoms Mr. Zeke. Doesn’t sound funny
now, maybe you had to be there.”
Then Zeke asked Carla
“Are you strictly a land vehicle?”
“No, I’m not good
on the water, but I have flown and played
submarine when properly equipped.”
Zeke was quiet for a moment
and then announced. “Here come my
people. Why don’t you all get
introduced?”
Duke looked up to see an
attractive couple with a couple of children
around ten years old. Carla and Zeke did
introductions all around.
On the way back, Carla
switched to Carl and told Duke “I didn’t
want to embarrass you in front of our new friends,
but we think of you and Sheila as children.”
Duke countered “You
know the verse ‘When I was a child, I did
childish things?’”
The two of them finished
together “It worked for me then and it works
for me now, so I stuck with it” and giggled
like a couple of demented ten-year-old boys.
Carl said “Love you
bro.”
“Back at you Carl.”
The two families became
close. Duke and Sheila became like aunt and
uncle to Jake and Jem, frequently childsitting (Jem
said she and Jake were too old for babysitting)
or taking trips with the kids. Carl/a and
Zeke became friends. The two other cars
pestered Zeke with questions about his water
adventures.
There’s a lot more,
but that’s enough about the new friends for
now.
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