The term “safe space” refers to the feeling of freedom from conflict and specific interactions. Logically, not everyone has a safe space, but I believe most people do. A safe space could appear anywhere, the possibilities seem endless and it does not matter as much as where that said space lies but how it makes him or her feel. Mine developed somewhere I never expected to spend most of my free time, my car. Incorporated in my everyday routine, my car carries me on the go and over time became one of my favorite places to be. My ruby, red vehicle fills my heart with a sense of home and smells of strawberry lemonade.

The way my car visually intrigues me has numerous effects on why I spend so much time in it. Her not so unique red color influenced her name Ruby, because the bright yet semi dull red resembles a big ruby crystal. She used to be shiny like a ruby crystal as well until she discovered backroads and dirt, now portraying her as a ruby that rolled in a dirt pile like an animal. Easily identifiable, Ruby’s spotted in a heartbeat in my town because of her uniqueness as the only red Jeep of her kind, a Compass. Living in a small town, Jeep Compasses seem minimal compared to bigger, better, more upscale towns. Her averagely small suv size gives her the term “mom car”. I classify Ruby as a compact, small mom car because of her suiting size and bubbly back shape. I love the shape of her, small and round like a bug yet big and boxy in the front. The boxy front exterior smoothly merges to the slightly round back, with the specific shape of the tail lights perfectly merging into the cutest shaped car. Her paint, glistening in the sunlight, blinds me when I step outside every morning. The sunlight creates a stunning slight shimmer in the paint where it looks as if glitter sits, and embedded within. With her shimmer, Ruby has a jacket of dirt overlaying the back of her that I constantly complain about, yet I never care enough to wash her.  On rainy days, the coat of dirt vanishes until the water dries out. Then the dirt returns back to its original disgusting place. Ruby’s small exterior achieves the practical yet pretty mom car that I admire, but her interior takes the cake and really feels the most comfortable.

Ruby’s personally accommodated interior features make her a special place for me to be by myself. The exterior does no justice for the amount of available space the car actually has inside. For the size of the car, Ruby has an acceptable amount of space and can contain a good amount of my junk. The very back holds tons of groceries, and all the seats have a good amount of legroom. With that being said, I never feel too compacted or smushed anywhere I sit. The one major flaw about my car would contain the atrocious low tire pressure on the back right tire. No matter how many times I refill the back right tire with air, it deflates back down the next day as a balloon would with a hole. My mom has brought to my attention that I probably have a nail in my tire and need to get it taken out and patched. I can never really bring myself to take the time out of my day to take care of it so I just risk it for the biscuit. The speakers embedded all around the interior contain nice and customizable adjustments. The sound quality can not compare to my last car, which now sits brutally smashed beyond repair. Although I do find it strange how her highest sound level number goes to the number 40, she plays music plenty loud enough for my eardrums to vibrate. The screen has many settings where I can adjust the sound quality, bass, and the overall surround sound on the inside. I never change it, but this one guy which I used to associate with started messing with it and made it to where when I accelerate my speed, my volume on my music goes up with it which seems really neat. Ruby has many features I enjoy, but I enjoy how I personalized her to fit my style even better.

I have customized my car internally with personal belongings to fit my personal liking. I started out with a few pink decor items with things like my car charger, hair ties around the shift gear, sencies, my trashcan, and even the sunglasses I keep in my car. Having lots of my own personal touches here and there make Ruby so much more comforting and enjoyable. I like the appealing aspects I give her, and the space in general makes me feel more like myself. When I open the door to my car, I get a big slap in the face from my car fresheners which is the designated, distinct smell of my car. I have two fresheners, one hanging on the mirror that smells of strawberry lemonade and one on my driver’s side, right vent that smells like himalayan pink salt. The smells merge together and the strawberry lemonade overpowers the beachy pink salt smell probably because the one in my vent I received months before has no more smell. The strawberry lemonade smell makes me happy because the scent acts as my favorite drink that I drink as water, lemonade. The real star of the show and most important factor would portray the music I play to fulfill the perfect atmosphere. I will not start driving my car until my music starts playing even in a major rush. The music I play creates the whole mood of my car ride especially throughout the seasons where I play certain music for the different weather changes. During cool weather I only play Christmas music to get me in the spirit of the holidays. The music creates the vibe of my atmosphere. The overall atmosphere of Ruby creates a happy and interchangeable mood for myself with the accommodations I have set for every car ride.

I have transformed my car into the perfect me space where I can eat, listen to music, and just sit and relax with no worries. I feel most people would say his or her room portrays their safe space. I love my room, and it definitely acts as my favorite place to be, but I can take my car anywhere and everywhere I want making it a tough competition between the two. I love driving my car everywhere and feel I live in my car more than I should . My shiny Ruby crystal on wheels gives me a sense of freedom yet security and portrays a second bedroom to me, but on the go.