Saturday, June 28, 2008

Road to Perdition?? -- Thankfully not!

Sweaty palms, the hair standing on the nape of my neck, shortness of breath, knocking knees and a total unwillingness to drive -- I just wasn't ready to surrender myself to the car and the open roads at 1am!! This was one situation I couldn't get out of. As my husband handed me the keys and gave me a small pat on back showing his encouragement, I simply wanted to faint!


There was so much going on in my mind -- where are the headlights, how do I raise the level of the seat, I have to adjust my mirrors, where is the bloody clutch[oh there isn't one...its an automatic car!], should I take a reverse first or try a swing stunt.... all this while my husband patiently waits for me to start the engine.


I did a small accelerator vs brake test lest I should kiss some bumper's behind and set it ringing. Keys-check, mirrors-check, headlights-on, placement of foot on accelerator-check.... Finally I said a little prayer and reved the babe up. She purred gently on a cool, crisp and starry night. A Sudden BRAKE -- "What happened??", asked Aditya. " A cat crossed the road!!!" My better half[especially at driving] rolled his eyes in frustration.....


After a good two minutes, something in the car pinged and kept on going on till I realised I had not put my seatbelt on -- that would be an automatic failure if I were at a car driving test. Slowly, at a speed of 20mph we were on our way.


Story so far -- I used to drive back home and when I landed here it was a difficult task to adjust to the left hand drive. I had to study for a written test here which was insanely boring to do. I eventually ended up passing the test in flying colors and have my driving permit but my actual driving test is yet to come. My husband has been giving me driving lessons on and off in parking lots and in our complex but it hasn't been regular. The irregularity also stems from my lack of interest in driving and total lethargy! God knows what came over my husband tonight...He handed the car keys to me when we left a friend's house and told me that I was going to drive back home. I strongly declined but to little effect. For the very first time I would be driving on open roads that too with little or you may even say, no practice!! I was nervous, scared and tensed !


So, my husband says, "You drive as you want. I wont say a word...no comments, no judgements and no sarcastic jokes. Its your thing to do totally. You drive me home." Those words rung in my ears like gongs! How was a girl who is used to Indian roads and judgements, who is used to practising in parking lots, to take a car and drive all the way home on the road???? This was insane!


As I swerved the car onto the main road, I saw railway crossing signs. Wondering whether I should stop or go and give up my 'right of way', Harried, I asked Aditya if I should STOP and then proceed. Cooly he told me to do what I wanted...to take my own judgements. I was appalled at his reaction...I simply drove past the tracks. My logic was that if he didn't stop me, it was the right thing to do. I'm rolling on a straight road at 25mph....Adi tells me to "step on the gas" so that I get a little used to speed [I'm not so much of a speedster].


Suddenly, a light from the rear view mirror blinds me...its a car that wanted to pass and was flashing lights at me. I tried to speed up a bit but from time to time kept giving the brakes a pump. I'm sure that was mighty irritating to the driver behind! Sadly, I couldn't even slow down and give him way to pass since it was a one lane road. We were approaching a bifurcation and Aditya told me that we had to go left. I put on the right indicator...missed the left lane[which was where I was supposed to go] and immediately switched to the left indicator. In the meanwhile since I had already missed the left lane, Aditya told me to go right...in all this confusion, I kept alternating between the left and right indicators!!


Eventually, I swung into the right lane and made room for the car behind to pass. I also am proud to say that I got my first finger shown at me when the car passed by! A usual 10 minute road took about 20 minutes to reach. As I slowly pulled in to the complex, I could see a pretty disgusted Aditya reach out to what I made out to be a SMILE! Now I'm not sure whether he was proud that I finally drove and drove without banging into anything or whether he was simply happy that it was over!


All I can say is that, that was my thankfully not my road to perdition... it ended in a pretty good adrenaline drive - literally and figuratively! Cheers to many more driving expeditions to come!