The Driving Lesson

While the world slept away to glory and the ignorant inhabitant of my bed was unperturbed by the tune of my favorite song “Pehla nasha………” I did what most of us do the first thing in morning. No I did not check my whatsapp messages, I hit the snooze button.

For years my sister was the one who used to get up before me. It was my turn now. I had in a long time not witnessed that she looks so innocent while sleeping.

The clock shrieked 5:15 a.m. I had no choice but to get up. I got up and started wandering in my home like a ghost. Early morning time is weird. It is the time you are supposed to start your day with but you feel all the more inclined to sleep and when the actual “early to bed” time arrives you are tempted to talk on phone, chat, check out Facebook and what not.

I grabbed the newspaper and started reading. It was 5:25 and I still have some time I thought.

In no time the impetuous clock read 5:40.I dropped the idea of taking a bath and hurriedly went to brush my teeth. I heard a prolonged and vexatious car horn.

He was here. …………….

It was just 5:55.Why are people so punctual.

“Is this the first time you are driving a car?” asked the driving school instructor in a hopeful tone.

It was not the first time I was taking charge of the giant machine on wheels.

My last encounter with it costed the insurance company a decently huge fortune and me a dear friendship.

‘Why do you girls drive after all’ was his parting line when I had dashed my car into his new SUV.

He hasn’t talked to me in four years.

His words echoed in my mind and I replied to the instructor “No it’s my first time”. I needed to revisit the basics after all.

He gave a long description and usage of ABC (accelerator brakes and clutch) While he narrated the working of each of the parts, it occurred to me that he was better than my mechanical engineer professor in College.

I turned on the ignition and turned off the aperture of wandering thoughts in my brain.

I did not turn on the AC or the music system. All seemed unnecessary and bothersome.

It was time to concentrate on the ABC.

Everything seemed in control. I was able to synchronize among three things with 2 feet.

Things moved effortlessly for a while until the roads were invaded by the holy cows.

While they refused to move even on the sound of the horn I became nervous and stepped on the accelerator rather than on the brake……………………….

Thanks to the dual system of ABC in a specialized car for learners, the brake in time saved 9; two of us six cows and yes the car.

After receiving hard looks form the instructor and completing 50 min on road it was time to move back towards home.

I left the car promising him to be on time from tomorrow.

In this 15 hours course for 4500 INR I am looking forward to the following things:

1. Driving while talking on phone.
2. Overtaking bigger vehicles (read buses and trucks) on road.
3. Driving on highway at the speed of 150 km/hr.
4. Country Crossing.
5. And lastly challenge my estranged friend for a car race :D

Too much for a person who has completed just 1/15^th part of the lesson :P

But then as they say there is nothing wrong in DREAMING BIG.