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Kay: In her Element

Here's something you don't find often in this space: a love story. It was prompted, somehow, by our encounter with Charlie Bruce, the dean of local car sales types, at Auto Park Honda in Cary a couple of weekends back. And now, without further delay, Kay in Raleigh shares her loves story.

"Her name is Zippy, and I am in love. She loves beach music, Lionel Richie" --

("beach music and Lionel Richie"? -- gag!)*

-- "rock and roll, but she is not a big fan of country music. Put a little 'Miss Grace' on, and she just dances everywhere she goes. She makes me smile when I see her, and when I start her engine I just laugh out loud!"

OK, maybe it's time for our younger readers to leave the room.

"She," Kay adds, "is my little Element EX, and she is the happiest car I have ever had."

Oh, OK. It's a car. Looks like the "start her engine" line wasn't a metaphor; you can let the kids back in.

"We ride with the windows down, sub-woofers woofing, and sing out loud, and we make people smile."

Though not everyone, it turns out.

"My husband thinks [Honda] Elements are ugly but had to admit they drive like a dream; he drove a different one than my Zippy because she will not let him ride until he apologizes. He will have to start out in the back seat until she feels he is humble enough to ride 'shotgun.' Driver's seat? Oh no, no, no!"

Hey, Kay! We think the Element is cool, too.

"We would be more than happy to give you a ride and share our fun!"

Only if we can pick the music.

*Note to beach music and Lionel Richie fans: the presence of parentheses indicates this is merely a thought that popped into our head; we can't be held responsible for spontaneous thoughts, so don't write.