TL

The set of keys I hold feels different in my hand. The remote is slightly bulkier, the key is slightly longer. I press a button, and with a soft ticking sound, the doors unlock, beckoning me in. It is an unfamiliar territory...but I succumb to its temptation and open the driver side door. It already recognizes me, and caters itself for my comfort. I am yours, it says.

As soon as I shut the door after me, I realize that its black leather interior is a vortex. I cannot get out...until it is taken for a good ride. I do not rush. With a slide of a button, the moon roof opens, revealing the clear blue sky above. I run my fingers around the leather-bound steering wheel, then wrap my fingers around it. My eyes close for a second, then slowly bring the key to a blue ring of light.

The key is a perfect fit, and I give it a turn to start the engine. The blue lights of the dashboard lets me know it is ready. As I breathe in deep, I reach for the gear. The gear knob, also wrapped in leather, fits perfectly in my palm. Slowly, I shift the gear to drive. We--it and I--spare a split second to sync with each other, then I roll it out of its parked misery.

The first music we share is Mozart's String Quarter No. 15. The music may be mellow, but it is not. With the slightest nudge on the accelerator, it wants to jump, it wants to fly. I still feel a little reserved about roughing it up...just a little. But in no time, I apprehend the dynamics of its two pedals and we finally become one....

This, I must say, is the biggest love affair since my '79 Mercedez 450SEL.