FRUGALITY

The woman whose seat next
to mine on the Philly to Chicago
flight is -- I don’t know -- say
70, maybe 75.
She’s reading a biography
of Truman. We chat about
that and the weather and
the coming holidays. "So what
do you want for Christmas?"
I say for no reason whatsoever.

Her face clouds (yes,
faces really can do that)
then brightens: "A Lexus."

I mumble something about
cars, the good ones and not so
good ones, tell her I drive
a Chevy and she laughs.

"I’m not laughing at you.
I’ve had the same
car for 20 years.
A Lexus! For heaven’s sake,
what would I do with a Lexus?"

Which makes me wish I could
send one to her house
tied up in a red ribbon.