What did you DO?

So the other day, Shawn comes home and tells me he's done something he regrets. "Ummm, okay. What did you do?"
Seems he spent his birthday money on a new exhaust system for his Aveo. It's supposed to help with gas mileage. (Not sure why this is necessary, since it gets, like, 179 miles per gallon. OK, exaggeration.) It's a performance thing, he says.

"What are you, seventeen?" I'm thinking. But I keep my mouth shut. (for the moment)

I can't help but wonder if he's expressing regret because he knows I'll hate it, but he insists it's too loud, even for him. Well, to his credit, he does wear hearing protection when he mows the lawn.
"Crank it up," say I.
So he cranks it, and I'm blown into T county. Okay, more exaggeration, but I can't hear him talk. He tells me he's taking it back to have it toned down.
"WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

*Turns it off*

He says it makes his head pound, so he takes it back to have the guy do a little magic on it which makes it run a little quieter.

*emphasis on "little"*

Now I move in for the "What are you, seventeen?" quip.

What is it about men, that what they have is never cool enough? They have to "do" something to it, and give it "More Power!" a la Tim Taylor.

I shouldn't complain, though. He doesn't watch sports, or go fishing or hunting. He doesn't have much that takes his attention away from me and the kids. He works hard, and takes very good care of us. He loves me more that I probably deserve. But still I am annoyed that he can't just have the newest vehicle he's ever owned, and leave it be.

But I was thankful for this car on Thursday when I had to drive back to camp. There was no way I was straddling that motorcycle again for that distance. Shawn told me how to stuff steel wool into one of the pipes to muffle the sound, so I would not be deaf in an hour. So stuff, I did. But my ear drums were bruised by the time I arrived. My head was pounding, and I refused to get back in the car on the way home. I would rather tow a camper all the way, than suffer through that sound for one more mile.
And before it goes to New York in November, he has to put back on the factory exhaust.