Life with Cars.(Column)(Brief Article)(Editorial)

Byline: Rich Ceppos

We fell in love standing by a car, only I didn't know it just then. As usual, it would take me a while to catch up with my heart. The door of the funny little Renault LeCar was open and I was on one side of it, she on the other. And then she rested her outstretched forearms on my shoulders, just like that.

Suzanne was the youngest member of the staff of Car and Driver magazine-my employer at the time. Fresh out of college. Too young. Too cynical. Too ballsy. Not. My. Type.

We left the staff party that night and drove around for hours. The only thing more amazing than her leaving with me is that we've been driving down life's highway together ever since. Nineteen years this week.

This with a woman who likes cars but doesn't love them. Who's worked on several national car magazines, so knows all manner of automotive esoterica-but could care less. Who's written ad copy for Ford, Buick and GMC but would have been just as happy shining her creative beam on any number of other subjects. Whose interest in her husband's so-called racing career could be summed up with ``I'd rather be back at the motel reading a book by the pool.''

In the face of all that raging automotive indifference you have to admire the pluck of a woman who has nonetheless allowed herself to be subjected to uncountable high-g on-ramp flings (oh, the tire squealing!) and occasionally actually called for more! Not to mention the sheer number of high-speed blasts, ABS brake tests, ...