A deal too good to pass up

My husband, Chris, and I have dreams that we one day would like to achieve. For instance, I wouldn’t mind sporting around in a Bentley Continental GT, but my current status as a student and future career choice in nursing will most likely land me in a Toyota Camry SE, if I play my cards right and don’t let my credit stay in the gutter.

I have come to terms with the fact that a Bentley is most likely not in my future and I am okay with that. If I have learned anything from the past, it is that I can get myself a speeding ticket in just about any type of vehicle; no matter how unbelievably junky that car may appear to be.

If you were to inquire about my current wish list, assuming money was not an issue, I’d begin with replacing the carpet which is a terrifying nightmare of stain-tarnished shame. Then, I’d get rid of our broken furniture and start making calls concerning a new air conditioning system.

I thought Chris and I were on the same page until the other day when I saw him pull his truck into the yard…towing a boat.

I don’t remember wanting a boat, asking for a boat, or ever sitting down and discussing a boat in a serious conversation. He did show me some pictures online a few months ago and remarked about what great deals there were to be had in the world of floating, motor-powered watercrafts, but I distinctly remember saying that would be wonderful in the future, like when I was done with school and working a fulltime job.

Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly smiling when he hopped out of his truck and started chattering about what a bargain he got and how it was just “too good to pass up” and he’d been saving a little money and it wasn’t all our money, but also his cousin, Jeff’s, so really we were sharing the boat with him.

What I heard: “I bought a boat! I didn’t bother telling you! We have a boat! It is in our yard! Here it is! Look how big it is! In our yard! It isn’t even really ours, but it is going to sit in our yard!”

Let me tell you something every person who has ever bought a used boat has said at least once, “The motor alone is worth twice the price I paid!”

A classmate of mine, Angie, said that B.O.A.T. stands for “bring on another thousand” and I think that is honestly what scares me about having a boat because we aren’t currently capable of throwing money at a hobby. I think it stands for “behemoth on a trailer” because it is now a very large yard ornament. On the plus side, it does cover the sandy areas (landscaping and irrigation are also on my wish list).

Though he’s already test driven the craft, we are scheduled to have a family outing on Sunday afternoon. I have been promised a fun-filled summer and a beautiful tan. The kids are about to jump out of their skins with excitement.

They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. I’m not necessarily scorned, but I’m not feeling warm and fuzzy either. If I see an out-of-this-world deal on a Bentley, I may just end up driving that baby home based solely on my own good judgment. Of course, the engine alone would have to be worth twice whatever I pay.