The Rental

In my search for a rental car I found a great deal at AAA for our week in Ireland. The car is small and a manual, which aren’t issues for me. However, my mother is a bit concerned about me driving a manual during the trip. Here is how the conversation went down…

Mom: “I was talking to a friend at school today who took a vacation to Ireland last year and she said you should rent an automatic.”
Me: “It’s $200 more to rent an automatic, that's ridiculous”
Mom: “I’ll pay the difference”
Me: “Really, there is no sense getting an automatic. I have been driving a manual for 15yrs!”
Mom: “You haven’t been driving on the opposite side of the road and shifting with your left hand”
Me: “I’ll go slow until I get use to it”
Mom: “I worry for your safety and you know you are responsible for your cousin”
Me Thinking: “nice guilt trip move by mom”
Me: “I know I am responsible for her but it is just silly to be paying all that money for a rental car”
Mom: “I’ll be paying the difference”
Me: “Let me check out the prices again”

In researching the price of an automatic for one week in Ireland, the average price was around $390 excluding tax. Time to call my cousin…

Me: “hey”
Cuz: “What’s up”
Me: “We might have a little car problem”
Cuz: “What do you mean, car problem?”

I tell my cousin the conversation that I had with my mother about getting an automatic. She starts laughing hysterically.

Me: “what’s so funny”
Cuz: “that you’re responsible for me”
Me: “well there is a lot of truth in that statement”
Cuz: “what’s the cost of a manual?”
Me: “about $80”
Cuz: “for the week?!”
Me: “Yep”
Cuz: “look; just get the manual shift, save the cash”
Me: “ok, ok”
Cuz: “Hey, my grandmother rented a manual and had no problems getting around!”
Me: “yeah, ok”

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A couple of quick comments on my cousin’s post yesterday: I was drinking at home, I was slightly intoxicated, and I have no problem delegating navigational duties to her. Of course I will be getting directions, but not to undermine my cousin; it’s just as a backup in case we run into problems.