New Wheels

Fukra, a Bear, was in the market for a new set of wheels to get him around the neighborhood quickly and efficiently. He didn't need the wheels for anything particularly taxing or aggressive just something simple to get from one place to another and make running errands a breeze.

"You should get a brand new Mercedes!"

"No, no, no, you should get a used Mercedes!"

"No, no, no, you should get a vintage Mercedes!"

Were some of the responses Fukra heard when sharing with his friends that he was in the market for a new set of wheels. Fukra didn't really want a Mercedes because he didn't need a vehicle like that. He wanted something functional, not flashy. He didn't want a vehicle that felt like he was tying up his whole personality into.

Fukra stopped by a used car dealership and met with a salesman. Walter, a Snake, who had that classic slick, sneaky, swindler, salesman vibe. Fukra didn't see any other salesman around so he figured he had to deal with the Snake.

"Well, thanks for coming in today buddy! How do you want to begin looking for vehicles today?" Walter began, "Do you want to tell me what you're looking for so I can ignore that and tell you what you really need or should we just skip the formality and I'll show you the perfect vehicle for you?"

Fukra was immediately put off by the used car salesman. He hadn't thought the stereotype of sleazy used car salesmen would be true in reality but here he was and Fukra regretted appealing to his own better nature in dismissing it.

"Well, when you put it that way why don't you just show me what I want then," Fukra conceded.

"Perfect! See, I like you buddy, let's head on over this a-way," Walter motioned towards the showroom.

Fairly quickly Fukra could tell that Walter was leading them to a Mercedes sedan parked on the lot. Fukra rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe it. Actually, that was a lie, he could believe it and now he just needed to find a way to leave this situation as quickly as possible.

"Now here we have a beautiful top-of-the-line..."

"Hang on there buddy," Fukra interrupted, "I'm going to go ahead and save us both the time, I'm not interested in a Mercedes and..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Walter cut Fukra off, "Who said anything about a Mercedes? Don’t take this the wrong way but you don't seem like a Mercedes guy to me. You seem like a simple man. Someone who doesn't get their identity wrapped up in what kind of vehicle they drive. Someone who needs something simple to get from place to place and make running errands easy a breeze."

Fukra was embarrassed. He jumped the gun and made assumptions and they turned out to be wrong. He learned a lesson today.

"Oh, sorry, well, what did you have in mind for me, then?" Fukra asked, contrite.

"What you need, is right behind the Mercedes It's..." Walter made a drum roll noise with his mouth to build excitement and anticipation, "This brand-new, tricycle! Ta-Da!"

From behind the Mercedes Walter wheeled out a small, red, tricycle. It looked fairly sturdy and reliable but still very small. Something that Fukra might not be able to fit on if we're being honest.

"Go ahead," Walter continued, "Give it a test ride!"

Fukra approached the tricycle cautiously, it did look really cool and swanky. Plus, everyone would know when they saw Fukra driving down the road on a tricycle that he had zero vanity or ego tied up into his mode of transportation. It was important to Fukra that everyone knew that.

Fukra got on but it wasn't easy. The seat was too small. There were no airbags, and when he peddled his knees would knock into the handlebars and he’d shakily have to keep the tricycle from swerving off the road.

But Fukra could already see himself cruising to the grocery store or cruising to the coffee shop and everyone looking at him and seeing how he had no vanity at all, and that made Fukra happy and convinced.

"I'll take it," Fukra said. "Can I drive it off the lot?"