GARDEN GROVE—After years of his car sitting on jack stands, countless late nights overtorquing bolts, and hundreds of cardboard shipping boxes, Gustavo Carilla has announced in his group chat that his car is now ready to drive.
“I hit everyone up and asked them where the next cruise is at,” said a clearly giddy Carilla. “They made a few suggestions, but they were far as hell. They wanted to go to Angeles Crest. That’s like 45 miles away from me. They’re insane. We’re going to the Best Buy parking lot. Don’t get me wrong, the car is perfectly reliable, but why risk it? But yes, I do have AAA. Who’s asking? I only got it ‘cause there was a deal on Premium.”
The friend group is split down the middle, with half happy to go to Best Buy and the other half frustrated because they have gained confidence in their cars over the years and can now do 80 miles.
“We’re happy his car is running. I just wish he could stretch past 30 miles,” said friend James Villa. “It’s cool, though. We meet up at Best Buy, and then the rest of us head another 50 miles to another location before coming back.”
We asked all the members of the group chat what happens when they go beyond their seemingly arbitrary 30- and 80-mile limits, and they all pulled out their AAA membership cards at the same time.
It’s a good thing they live in a very dense city full of things to see and places to go.
And they have the distinct advantage of likely being completely unbothered by an ankle monitor.