Friday, December 10, 2010

Partner or Buddy?

Remember your first car? How well you treated it. That innumerable wiping until that last speck of dirt vanished and your car was all spotless and sparkling. You sulked for days when you saw the first scratch on the bumper. Your heart ached whenever the car's ground hit the speed breaker.

An interesting and amusing conversation popped up between me and Gautam. He bought a new car; his first car. But is not excited as he should be! During the course of our mundane conversation; I asked him how was his car doing. To which, he answered "i have left the poor thing out in cold. :-( he is having a layer of frost everyday"

But isn't car a SHE? For most guys? But the reasons he gave me as to why he thought his car was a HE was so amusing. Snippets of our conversation.


Gautam : it sounds kind of hard on a she thing to drive 'her' all the time... step on the gas... brrrrraaakkkkkke!!!! he is better me:-P she is soft he probably can bear it :-p poor fellow... staying out in the cold all night... and makes my life so much easier i get to work in 15-20 mins

I asked  thus - so you mean to say "he" is strong enough to tolerate the cold? if it was 'her', she wouldnt have?

Gautam replied - well, i am saying that i first gender, subconsciously that struck me when i was referring to the car was the word 'he' and then i was thinking how he is out in the cold all day it so happens that, out of all the hes and shes bearing the cold, i referred to the car as a he

Read on......................

me: thats DISCRIMINATION!!!!!
Gautam: well once hes and shes are in cold, it doesn't matter if the thing is a he or a she
  it is damn cold!
  thats all that matters
  lol!
 me: hahahaha
Gautam.: hmmm
  it is kinda interesting that i referred to him as a he
  dunno how that happend
 me: hm yeah most guys want to refer their car as a she
  you are the second person i have come across who refers as a HE
 Gautam.ya i know. i know that cars are referred to as shes
 me: :)
 Gautam: but i wonder how i am referring to the car as a he
  and even now it seems like he suits him better
 me: hmm why do you think ? was it impulsive?
 Gautam: i have no idea
 me: is this the first time?
Gautam: it was the choice of the subconscious brain
  and moreover
  it;s kind a good for him that he is a he
 me: haha
 Gautam: cause there are so many shes out there!
  ha ha ha
 me: lol!
and your he might be abused by so many shes
  dont you think so?
 Gautam: ya that is something to consider
 me: hmmm you are putting him in jeopardy
 Gautam: i think the reason i referred to the car are he is because the way he looks
me: macho?
  muscular?
 Gautam: if you think that a car has a face
 me: aggressive?
 Gautam: ya it is probably not like a woman's face
  http://www.toyota.com/camry/
 me: all cars?
 Gautam: look at this
me: :)
 Gautam: a jeep and a hummer look more like body builders
  even if women work out they can have muscles like that
  they are not supposed to
 me: :) hmmm
Gautam: he is dirty already
  i made him dirty
  full of papers
  mud on the carpet
me: hm bad'
 Gautam: plastic bags
  books in the truck
i guess i am a dirty fellow
  :-p
 me: :)
 Gautam: what do you think
 me: you continue to remain that way...keep him clean
  :)
 Gautam: the car is a he or a she
  may be it is a 'it'
 me: It is a IT
Gautam: i have thought of him only as a it till you asked me
 me: :)
 Gautam: and then the more we talked about it
  the more 'he' suited the car
  i should say you triggered it
me: aaahh i just asked hows your car doing..you started by referring him HE
 Gautam: ya... you question was so 'human like' as if you were asking how a human being was doing then i thought
  oh no
  poor fellow
me: yeah!! even the car would have feelings
  according to me :)
 Gautam::-)
me: isnt it
Gautam: ya. :-) ha ha ha
  tell me one thing
  what do i think of my car as a he
  hmmm
  i wonder why
me: hmmm i know
 Gautam: i mean why do i think of my car as a he
 me: i know i think
 Gautam: i am a straight guy
  ha ha
  but i feel the car goes through so much rough stress
 me: hahaha just because you mentioned a HE doesnt mean you are not straight
Gautam: i don't think i could emplace so much force on it
  if the car was a she, stepping on the pedal if she was a woman
 me: lol
 Gautam: man that does not sound right
 me: hahaha
 Gautam: brrrrrraaakkkkkkkkkke
  amuku            (Step on)
  amuku
  amuku
 me: morality and ethics huh
  :P
 Gautam: on a woman
  i don't think it is morality and ethics i think i would feel bad to put so much physical stress on women...
 me: :P
 Gautam: should maybe try a bit to make their going a little easier
maybe thats why
 me: i have a question
 Gautam: oh boy! o.....k....
  go ahead
 me: suppose your car is washed and looks sparkling nice
  wont you feel like running your fingers across the car and feel?
Gautam: hmmm. not really
 me: sure?
 Gautam: i hadrly touched my car
 me: ok..then your car being a HE suits
 Gautam: the only parts i have touched is the steering
  and the door
  not even the hood
  ha ha ha
 me: hmm :) so its a HE
 Gautam: ha ha ha
 me: :P
Gautam: well there you have it
  if i thinking of the car as she was natural to me
  then i would have surely
  felt it
  like you aid
  said
  but even scooby is a he ----------Scooby is his pet dog
  and i pat him and feel him
  and i love doing it
 me: :) haaa
 Gautam: so i cannot really relate the patting and feeling
me: scooby is different     
 Gautam: car is also like that only na
  i mean the feeling and touching part
 me: nah....
  scooby is like your kid
  car is like your companion
  :)
 Gautam: hmmm
  true i guess
 me: hmmm :)
Gautam: may be like a buddy
  i won't caress it.. ha ha
 me: yeah :)
  lol
 Gautam: and hug and kiss
  ha ha
 me: hahaha


Once we made sure why the car was a HE; we went on to discuss the GPS fitted to the car. This went on -

me : one of my friend thinks his car is a HE
  but he has a GPS system
  whom he calls Jill
 gautam: ha ha ha
 me: :)
 gautam: wait
  i don't get it
 me: ?
gautam: you said he thinks his car is a he
  ok
 me: hmm
 gautam: and then Jill is a girl's name?
  right
  so it does not make sense
 me: yeah...thats what i said..he thinks his GPS system is a she
  only the GPS system
 gautam: i would have a girl's voice in my gps
  surely
 me: yeah so only
 gautam: ya
  ok
 me: he has a girl's voice and he calls her Jill :D
 gautam: gps is the car's buddy ha ha ha
 me: companion is fitting word
  :D
 gautam: Jill stop bugging mE
  ha ha
  hmmm
  ya
  :-)
 me: yeah or "Enna Jill, unna nambi vandha, nee ippdi thappa thappa route solra"
(This can be appreciated if you know Tamil. It means "I trust and follow your instructions Jill, but you are giving me wrong directions")

 gautam: ha ha
 me: :)
gautam: then followed by... intha ponnungale ippidi thaan ya...
  cha...
  nambave koodaathu...
  nice a kondu poi kauthiduvaanga
  ha ha ha
(This means Girls are always the same, we should not trust them. They take along and later ditch us)

 me: exactly!!!!
  :)
 gautam: aanlum unakku kurumbu jaasthi Jill :-p
(You are very naughty Jill)

 me: ha ha ha oh my god
  imagination wild!!
 gautam: ha ha

So is your car a HE or a SHE? :-)

42 comments:

  1. Car is a car. I don't remember ever using either using 'he' or 'she' for it. In English we can be gender independent for car.

    But I am wondering now about Hindi. i think it is a 'she' while plane is a 'he'.

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  2. I think a car is gender neutral. That is why there is a sign in the gear shifter.

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  3. A,

    Technically a car has no gender. But people do tend to give a gender to it; be it English or any other language.

    Havent you come across such people? Men mostly treat their car more important than their girl friend.

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  4. SG,

    I think you did not get the humor in it. People do tend to think of their cars as a he or a she.

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  5. "Men mostly treat their car more important than their girl friend."

    Yes they really do. They even name their cars(A girl name of course) :p

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  6. I checked with KG and for him his car is a SHE!! :D

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  7. It is definitely a she here. The Arab boys notoriously fuck up their cars.When I told a friend of mine,he said it would be difficult to say even then,because they rape boys as well!
    Mine is a sure she.I take a very gentle care of her,give her facials every week.I even service her!

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  8. Insignia,

    Guys who treat their car more important than girl friends need to see shrink. I would never do it.

    But I agree there are some guys like that but soon the lose their girl friend. Hahaha. Girls friend takes the car and run away.


    I did not have car in India. But this time we hired one and I remember it is referred as 'she' in Hindi.

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  9. Never even given a thought about these things. I think car is SHE as we always tell it as a 'beauty'. Never heard any one saying 'Handsome car'.

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  10. my car is she...yes i admit.i am gender conscious...gautam seems to be smart.

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  11. For most of my guy friends... the car and the bike are SHE!

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  12. insignia, For every male a car is a she.I am not sure if it is right or wrong.
    But, what do women address their car as?

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  13. I don't know exactly..

    I used to think like she or it or he depending on feel of the name of car ..but casually...


    I don't own car so never had a emotional attachment.

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  14. Enigma,

    Yeah I wonder how many have named their car "Munni" or "Sheila" now
    :-P

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  15. Shilpa,

    See thats what I told ya! :)

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  16. dr.antony,

    Yeah :) thats why men treat their cars as a SHE; be it for good or for worse :)a

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  17. A,

    You are a gentleman. But I have known friends who openly flaunt "I love my car/motorcycle first, and then my girlfriend"

    Its a "she" for most guys I am sure :)

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  18. chitra,

    People do tend to take these things to heart. Yeah, a guy treats car as a girl, girls dont do that mostly.

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  19. Madhu,

    Good good. Gautam is a very smart fella :)

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  20. Chowla sir,

    women passionate about their cars definitely address their car as HE. :-)

    If they are a feminist, then its a definite SHE :)

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  21. A vehicle is a riding companion, whether car or bike. For those like me who love long rides on a bike, it is a tough, macho male friend, a buddy.

    Guys who treat cars as a female, I'd say, suffer from sexual shortcomings! ;D

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  22. Oh my God! I can't believe you posted this! Had fun reading it again. :-) Oh boy! People will think that I am so dumb after reading my thought process. :-|

    I used my car to take some plants to my office space, I had to take a sudden U turn and some mud spilled over in the trunk. :-p I cleaned most of it, but I cannot describe how much I enjoyed the wonderful fragrance of the wet soil that was left behind. When I open the trunk in the morning, the moisture retained overnight makes the trunk faintly smell like wet soil, and to inhale that smell early in the misty morning, I feel, is such a refreshing start for the day.

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  23. I never thought about it. I guess its more of a language thingy.. The language in which we are most comfortable makes it she or he.
    I guess I would like to go with Chitra, never heard of a .
    handsome car.. We normally say "She is a beauty or it has got a beautiful body" and not muscular. :P So now guys would like to call it "she" as well :P

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  24. car is an IT. Period!

    hilarious conversation btw..i love such vella convos..it's been quite some time since we have had one too..hai na :)

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  25. Bala,

    Thanks. A tough and rough handling means being a buddy is better :)

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  26. Gautam,

    I told ya!! :-) No no! its interesting, not everyone can think on these terms :)

    Nothing like the aroma of wet earth :) Anytime for me :)

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  27. Shesha,

    :-) No its more than the language. Few people hold their cars or bikes very dear to their heart and treat them like their boyfriend/girlfriend. :-)

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  28. Neha,

    Not for all :)
    Yeah, thats why I wait to chat with Gautam. We end up having an interesting take on silliest of matters. :-)

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  29. That was a pretty long long conversation.
    Remember the recent commercial on Volkswagon, the guy who runs behind the car being driven out refers to as 'it".
    So that should neutralise both arguments.
    Just a fleeting thought, car an instrument of utility, usage, fun , manoeuvring, experiencing, joy, fun vanity so on and so forth. Calling it she may be not great for women lib.

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  30. anil,

    Yeah and it was fun. the Volkswagen one? Yeah I do...But its surprising to me that most men who commented here dont see a car as a HE/SHE. I have known so many guys personally that way!

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  31. I think it's bcoz we refer to vehicle as She is a beauty. Had we used Handsome , we might have said said 'He is handsome'. He is a beauty sounds awkward:P

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  32. sm,

    Thanks and it was such a waste talk

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  33. Holy Lama,

    right :) But for few guys, their car is a buddy and so HE

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  34. That was some conversation! For me however, a car is just that - a car (no 'he', 'she' or 'it'). Though I have heard people refer to cars as 'her' - Take her on a ride, she's a beauty! But like Gowtham said, it could be the looks - some are big and mean(he) and some drop-down gorgeous (she) - LOL!

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  35. EGB,

    A childish conversation, typical us :)
    Yup!! maybe! Few of them treat the car as if it had a life. :)

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  36. In Hindi, its definitely a she:)

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I'd love to know what you thought :-) Please shoot!