Something odd with my 2004 model gear shift.

I recently purchased a 2004 Malibu. The car is in great condition, but there is one thing that keeps bugging me. The gearshift is backwards. Instead of having the button used to switch from drive to reverse looking towards the windshield, it looks back towards the driver (to where the only comfortable way to operate it is with my thumb). The +/- button on the gear shift used to go up or down a gear is located on the passengers side as opposed to the drivers side (to where I would have to use my pinky to operate it). I don't know why anyone would modify their car to be like this, but does anyone know if this can be reversed? Is it something that must be done by a mechanic or is it a fairly simple procedure?

Yes, some body reversed it during a repair. On some a screw to hold the shift lever on would loosen.

Wow.. Heres how to fix it... Pull down on the shaft of the lever. It will drop about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. on the head of the gearshift, there is a small allen key. loosen it, turn 180' and retighten. Make sure when you tighten it, the head is firmly pressed down or else the shifter will not move. Then pull the shaft up until it clicks into the head.

Thank you...that was driving me crazy. I don't have an Allen key that small, but I will most definitely be fixing it tomorrow. In any case, I am happy that the solution is a simple one.