Now my second son also became interested in cars. So, in a passionate move, he bought a BMW—I don’t know the model. It was second-hand, though. Really a sturdy car with novel features.

In 2007, my elder son and family were in India for a few months for some special work. And that was the first time we got our car. Purchased by my son, of course. A person used to those posh cars like Subaru and Acura, after a great deal of search and test driving, settled on WagonR—Maruti’s. Sort of sky-blue color. Instantly, we liked the car—that is, my wife and myself. With its tall-boy design, it was so comfortable to sit and travel long distances. This car was with us for nearly 16 years. Came in handy during my eye episode when we had to visit the hospital almost on a daily basis. And so too when I have to travel to Pondicherry for having eye injections for AMD. It was LPG cum petrol operated. Served us well, and in India, we have never felt more comfortable in any other car. Every time we visited the U.S., the car would remain unused for nearly six months and result in a fairly high expenditure in maintenance work and repairs. Because of the visits to the U.S. and subsequent repair bills, we disposed of the car before our last visit. And now we miss it sorely.

My both sons kept changing cars. After returning from India, my elder son went for a Camry. When the electric cars were making their debuts, Nissan had come out with a model called Leaf. My younger son got it on lease as a second car for his wife. We were there when he got the car. Very noiseless and smooth, but those were the initial days in this category, and the battery range was very limited.

Owning an electric car was such a fancy that a local newspaper interviewed him about the car. It was quite a small one and comfortable for the four of us. Three years hence, he gave back this leased car.

The reason was he had gone totally the opposite direction and gone in for a gas-guzzling Infinity 7-seater SUV. And it was in this SUV that he received us at the airport during our visit in 2014.

Continued in 290. Moving Models - Part 5