He wrote us this e-mail:
Dear family,
I am now a proud owner of a Chrysler sebring 2002 gun metal blue 4 doored sedan. I'm trying to find a good name for it, but its either "shiok" or "chio bu". I think chio bu is a good name.
It cost a total of about 11,000 USD for the car and for insurance. Insurance was 545 USD for 6 months. Based on mom's directive to go to a respectable car dealer, I went down to Carmax, the auto superstore near my roommate's place. I already planned to buy a Chrevolet Malibu 2003 at 9,998USD, and saw it. Wah, really lor, it looked very "value" and sad. Everything was "value" about it, and it was quite sad to look at. Plus safety wise, the thing was even sadder. Had no ABS brakes (which is quite uncommon for a "newer" car). Forget about power steering too. Then i saw its cousin, a Acura, which was built a few years later than the Malibu, and cost a good 2,000USD cheaper. And wasn't all that different really. So i was quite set on buying that 7,998 USD car.
But while looking at the sad cars, my room mate brendt went walking around, and came back with a very broad grin on his face, and beckoned me to come.
And then i met Chio Bu. Chio Bu was the most attractive car under 10,000USD in the entire lot. And she's still pleasing to the eye without looking at the price tag. But when I opened the car door, FWAH! Got leather xia! And got nice dashboard! And the windows are electrically powered! And the seats are LEATHER! (oops, did I mention that already) PLus the car did not stink, unlike the other 2.
But what mattered the most, were its amenities. Good airbags, and ABS brakes, and powersteering make me a happy man. Then I brought it on a test drive, and wah! The car doesn't like to go slow. Probably a result of its V6 engine. (most pok kai cars have 4 cylinders, this one got 6 man!) Once you drive to 50miles per hour, the "chio bu" don't want to slow down.
Oh yes. So i was quite set on buying chio bu already. Since a) price wise, it was competitive. b) I couldn't believe i could get that good a deal on a car below 10k that looked decent. c) the alternatives were really a bit sad. d) shiok shiok shiok.
So i happily said "lets get it", and was introduced to the "sian'ness" of the american "shopping experience". Took ages to buy the car. Insurance (which is damn exp. since I'm a college guy under 26yrs of age) took a big chunk, and the stupid dealer who listed the car wrongly in terms of category. (which I managed to catch while jet lagged and sick)
But I walked out with chiobu, which was all waxed and washed before I got her. And thereafter chiobu and I had our first adventure. Brendt drives like a crazy man. That is for certain. Trying to keep up with him on the freeway was do'able, since chio bu and I have a very close bond. But a pickup cut brendt off from me, and I ended up following another car which was the same color as brendt's honda to god know's where, and was stuck waiting on a gravel road for brendt to find me. Luckily he did, and chio bu and i continued to follow crazy black man brendt. (he drives like he's in the video game grand theft auto)
It was interesting following him, since I actually drive pretty responsibly. Sagely advise from my US driving instructor to obey the driving rules makes sense, since in the US when u accelerate from one traffic light to another, you'll just end up getting stuck in the next light. But when you have to follow a mad man, you have no choice but to be double'y mad to stick to his tail. The joker basically floors the accelerator once the lights turn green. Amusingly, he remarked that I had "skills" for keeping up with him.
I have resolved to not follow mad men again. Chio bu doesn't like it.
I will be driving down to charlottesville tomorrow. It should be a nice pleasant drive. Of which i will be a "guai" singaporean and follow the road rules.
Oh, and ah pa. Yes the TT went through. Funnily, I owe them 15 USD, of which i will pay via check.
Oh and ah ma and ah pa, don't worry. I will drive safe and responsibly. Must keep chio bu safe and pretty and not give her an "extreme makeover".
Best,
yix
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