My Dear Car and her teachings

KA51N 6610

There are many reasons why I love my Sweety (Midnight Grey Santro). Not that I am materialistic...its not a BMW yaar and "Treasure your relationships, not your possessions" also I am in full agreement with this.But these non living possessions sometimes become stationary witnesses of our experiences and relationships.And above that they teach you also, yes I have learnt lot of things through my car.My midnight grey companion is my first car that I owned (yes one of those middle class joys of your first car) and I also hold the honor of going alone to take its delivery from dealer..Yes I still remember 13th September 2007 when we were supposed to get its delivery and my husband(R) suddenly had to travel but I was determined to not delay possessing it.Not sure of dealer location I got down somewhere from office bus and started walking on swampy road on a wet raining evening when I was just hoping someone should drop me till my destination that a passing bike stopped and without second thoughts I took the ride till dealer.After all formalities and worshiping new car in the dealer temple I was ready to take beauty home but still not trusting my driving skills I requested them to send someone to drive it till my destination.And here were the first lessons that I learnt about being independent and not considering small obstacles, so I was proud of myself that I did all that independently and alone.Not a big deal I know but not all things in life are a big deal either!

Then started real test of my driving skills when I took numerous test drives with R and still was not sure of driving alone.Then one fine day again I was alone and R was away, so I took it out alone and came back after nice drive on safe roads in area around happily basking in glory of my independent victory and entered parking but was stuck.I just couldn't fit it in my designated parking slot.And then when I called my bhai A who by now was an expert and who offered me on call support on how I should maneuver the steering. Again learning first bits of parking although its still an area I am yet to pioneer.Days passed and such small and big experiences kept adding to my ever expanding driving skill-set  But here I want to thank my car because driving is therapeutic for me, nothing in recent times has added to my confidence and feeling of achievement as learning this skill.The Independence, freedom and  mobility that one can get by learning this one skill is tremendous and I feel every girl or women must learn it.

Now little bit about experiences, this beauty is live witness of all our post nuptial expeditions and adventures that we enjoyed and numerous trips to beautiful destinations in south.. Coorg, Ooty, Wayanad, Tirupati to name a few.Few days into my driving came my first Karwachauth when I and my mom had to go to my frens place that was quite a distance from my place and R while leaving for office suggested we book a taxi.I still remember my mom telling me to not to worry and drive myself since I know all nuances of driving by now.So here I was in extreme conditions of full day fasting without water and wearing saree , under guidance of mom who didn't know driving either set out to reach our destination.And when we reached I realized sometimes we just need to do it.Most of time we have full or even better capabilities but stupid fears keep us away from doing what we must do.

And then when our little TimTim came in our lives she carried us to hospital and offered first ride of his life to T from hospital.

So here are few of the many good times we have had together and its been five long years and my sweety has started showing some signs of times.R insisted many times when we moved from Bangalore to dispose it off and buy new one but something inside me always stops me from doing it telling me we still have some more time to spend together.She never betrayed me but in recent times like us all she developed some start up problems.My Sweety is again with me in my MBA college campus where we are again together in another landmark in my life.So R was insisting that I take his new car but I was not ready and last week when I was driving I hear a sudden knock on my window with a man telling me that one of the tyre is puncture.I kept driving slow and lucky me found a repair shop just few meters away and got it fixed but now when I start it she refused to start, it has happened earlier also but this time she was stubborn and just didn't cooperate.I cursed her and then asked for help from few men to push that car but it didn't help either.Waiting for some more time I decided to give up and call R or A but somewhere feeling I am not doing  something right I decided to give it one more try.And again called some men for help( that's big advantage of being a women driver in India, male help readily available) and this time while being pushed I suddenly figured out the permutation and combination of clutch and accelerator and it started and I zoomed without even bothering to thank those noble men.Next day I got battery changed and said sorry to my beauty for cursing her without realizing her ulterior motive to teach me how to deal with such situation and .Would I have ever know that if she didn't decide not to start.She always finds ways to make me learn and be proud.

Thanks Sweety for being my friend and teacher!!