One fine morning, I stop on the way to pick up my friend. He offers to drive. I decline. I feel like driving today, it's been a while you know. So I set off to work with my friend in the seat next to me. He makes some conversation with me for a bit, but we settle into a comfortable silence soon after. He is lost in his own thoughts, and so am I.
I am thinking about the 50 unread emails in my inbox at work. And that dreaded meeting with this client who I am dead sure is going to ask for that project plan, that is not ready yet as I am running behind on schedule due to that other silly project that fell into my lap cos my colleague didn't complete it in time.
Man.....looks like a traffic jam ahead. I slow down. I am still preoccupied with my long things to do list for the day ahead. The white Scorpio in front moves a few metres ahead. I raise my foot off the brake in my Automatic Santro car and it starts to inch forward to take up the empty space before some motorcycle or scooter guy tries to squeeze in. So I reach the desired spot and I move my foot forward to brake and settle in for the next wait.
I BLINK. Panic sets in. I cannot remember which one is the brake and which one is the accelerator pedal. How can this be happening? My heart beat starts to rise. I am still trying to rack my brains but I AM BLANK. I am dangerously close to the Scorpio in front of me. I want to stop the car but I cannot take the risk of pressing the pedal that I think might be the brake because if it is the other one by chance then I will hit the car in front of me even harder. Time slowed down for those few seconds. I could sense the impending disaster ahead of me. I take the risk and hit what I think is the brake but I guess it is not with enough conviction as I feel my car CRASH into the car ahead.
Amidst the loud sounds of car honks and shattering glass, I am confused, scared and almost ready to cry. I regain my poise and take my sunglasses off, getting myself ready to face the music and a big, burly guy gets down from the car in front of me. He walks over to examine the damage and walks purposefully towards my window. I am sheepishly saying sorry and look straight at him with my own panic-veiled eyes. He softens once he sees my face and walks back to his car without saying a word and drives off. I am too nervous to get down to examine the damage to my car so I just start driving. Miraculously, now I can drive as naturally as I can walk.
I am worried shit-less about this accident. I sure hope I don't forget to breathe one day.
2 comments:
ok Sue, vehicles follows a simple, global A-B-C rule.
Accelerator, Brake, Clutch.
The 'A' being the closest to the door. The good news is that the 'B' will always be in the middle.
If this changes in the future soon, we will organize a refresher course.
And Thank heavens that there are people who believe that a damaged vehicle is much easier to fix than a girl's heart!
God bless the white Scorpio guy.
May your tribe increase.
@ whatmark: Thanks for the tip O' wise mark. The alphabet is going the wrong way because we read left to right and that is enough to confuse me, I guess :)
But I agree, God bless the white Scorpio guy and all those who love women more than their cars.
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