Turning Korean, I Really Think So...

This afternoon, in honor of our slumping economy, I leased my ride for the next 3 years: a Hyundai. I pick it up tomorrow, and the monthly rental is exactly 1/2 what I've been paying for my Lexus.

In my unsophisticated judgment, the two cars are very similar. They're sedans with leather seats and satellite radios. They both have more gadgets and doodads (power rear window shades) than I'll ever use. The Lexus has been, in the words of one of my car -philic office roomates, "an appliance." In other words, boring and dependable. I hope the Hyundai proves to be the same.

Over the 15 years I've had my law firm, I've allowed my partner to convince me that we need prestigious cars for our image. Our old boss taught us that a succesful plaintiff's lawyer has to make the defense bar think that money is no object, or else the insurance companies will shortchange you. He's probably right.

And --who am I kidding --it was fun to drive the rides I had : BMW 740 IL, Lexus LS 400 and then 460, Jaguar XJ6 (two of those) and, in my Tony Soprano phase, a Cadillac DTS.

But, the times they have a changed, and I no longer give a rat's tuches what defense (or any ) lawyers think about my image. I've entered my post-lawyer, lawyer stage.

The aforementioned office roommate, the car buff, was aghast at my choice. He warned that, once word gets out that I'm driving a Hyundai --"people will talk, and it won't be good talk." My other roommate, Joel, said it reminded him of a Seinfeld routine, where Jerry said that once you start leaving the house in exercse clothes and you're not going to work out --it's over --you might as well kill yourself.

The car buff drives a Corvette. If ever there was an image projected by a 60 year old man who drives a Corvette --well...

And, my friend and secretary Mirta brought me back to reality, when she reminded me, gently, that the car I'm going to be "slumming it" in is costs more than twice a month what hers costs.

So, beginning tomorrow, I'm giving back my Japanese chariot, and driving away in a Korean cream puff. Will my life change? If it does, based on my ride, then Seinfeld was right.