Spent the better part of a day in a car dealership that reminded me unmistakeable of the scientologists, a new age corporate/pyramid community-style cult. I'll call the car company "Cronos."

My host was fine. She was cool in fact, vulnerable and considerate (handled it well when the move-the-front-seat-back latch broke on the first car I test drove). The part I hate (and I've been in there before and it was exactly the same that time) is the "meeting the boss" ceremony at the end, when you're trying to leave, disengage. It's all so scripted. The phony-ass smile. Every nicety invoked. "It was nice to meet you, too," I hear myself parroting through frozen rictus.