I am overwhelmed at the response I received in Facebook, this encourages me to write more, so a big shout to all you guys!
Today as well my conversation with G was minimal, since he was rushing to office and I had been busy making a south Indian delicacy Kuzhi Paniyaram. So I have to rely on our earlier conversation.
G has always been unabashed with his surrounding, he is least bit concerned with what people around him think unless they are from his 'inner circle'. This quality I greatly admire in him since I get a little effected with my surroundings. Most of the time it is a great thing but not when G is teaching you driving basics.
I have been driving car since 14 years and been told that I am a cautious and a safe driver contrary to what I believed in before. There is something that I haven't disclosed though, I am scared of driving on slopes for the fear of losing control of the vehicle and bumping into the car behind me. This wasn't a problem for me, I would carefully and cleverly route myself to avoid the slopes in my journey when I was in Delhi. Chennai was different, en route to work I needed to cross a hideously steep flyover and each time my heart rate would pump up. I needed to find an alternate route, yes that was my grand solution... Until..
Me: So do you know of any routes to avoid this flyover to my workplace?
G: Why? That is the shortest way, there is an alternate way but it will take you time to reach since you leave in peak hour. Is something wrong with the route?
Me: Hmm.. Its just that I am afraid of slopes, I fear bumping into the car behind me. And this flyover that I need to cross comes in between
G: What?! Why din't you tell me before?
Me: Well I feel it's very silly and you might laugh at it
G: Why would I do that! Any fear big or small is not laughable, it might be small for me but big for you. You need to learn to overcome it. I will teach you to drive in slopes
Me: uh..mm *mummers* its okay, I will manage
G: Of course not! Don't worry, we will do this together
Me: So you will drive me then *hoping*
G: Yes I can do that but isn't it better to be able to do that on your own! It is always good to be independent. I am always there if you need me, but you should be self dependent
Me: Okay*after my feeble protests*
All was well, we were busy with our daily schedule that week and I was still a chicken when it came to slopes, but then later that week we went to cinema and this particular cinema hall near our house has the steepest slope you will ever see while exiting it. Usually its G driving when we are together, since I hate to drive and he loves it. This fateful day however after our movie, I headed as usual towards the passenger seat
G: Wait, I want you to drive us back. This is a perfect time to teach you
Me: *makes a sorry face* We can do this later, I am tired. It was a long dull movie
G: No, we are doing this now. Please get on the driving seat
Me: Can I drive after we exit *sheepishly*
G: Come on, get on with it
So I sat in the drivers seat, knowing the mountain (pun intended) that I have to climb. We reached the bottom of the slope and I nervously looked into my rear view mirror for some clueless victim behind me, there were none thankfully.
G: I need you to focus now, you can do this in two methods. First you need to put the acceleration slowly and release the clutch. In between you will notice that if you balance both correctly the car will stay still. You will feel the acceleration pull you
Me: And the second method *hoping it is him driving instead*
G: You can alternatively pull the hand brake and release it while pushing the accelerator.
Me: That sounds better, lets try the second first
G: No that's the easier one. We will try the first
Me: See there is a car coming, what if I bump it
G: Don't worry you won't. I am here
So I tried the first method, the thing with G is that, he won't let you do anything hap hazard. It has to always be proper and done completely. My car was protesting midway, I swear it did this on purpose.
G: Try again, go reverse and climb up again. Remember what I said
Me: What! I am halfway up, I can't do this again. Please lets continue later. Look the security guy is also coming. He is been suspiciously staring at us!
G: You stop worrying about them, only listen to what I am saying. Go reverse and try again. Do this till you get it right
Me: You are driving me crazy! I don't want to do this. Look that car guy is giving us glares!
G: Calm down first. Why are you paranoid thinking what other people are going to say! They are not going to help you when you get stuck. You need to do this for yourself. Listen to me, please trust me. I don't want to force you into anything you don't want to do but this I know will help you.
Me: OH GOD! okay fine. I will go reverse
After what seemed like a million efforts, I got it right! yipee! It was a great feeling. G did not leave with that day alone. Even small speed beakers were not spared from my practice. We did this over and over till I was confident. He made sure that I could handle the smallest and the biggest slope in history before his class got over.
At the time, I was hesitating and embarrassed of the public practice but now I am glad, since I no longer avoid routes. I am sure within myself that I can manage on my own. That I feel is very important. We all have fears, some bigger than the others but we need to fight our demons and find the correct way out not the shortest way.
G has always encouraged me to face my demons, better still given me weapons to fight it. But I warn you he is not an easy teacher!
Today as well my conversation with G was minimal, since he was rushing to office and I had been busy making a south Indian delicacy Kuzhi Paniyaram. So I have to rely on our earlier conversation.
G has always been unabashed with his surrounding, he is least bit concerned with what people around him think unless they are from his 'inner circle'. This quality I greatly admire in him since I get a little effected with my surroundings. Most of the time it is a great thing but not when G is teaching you driving basics.
I have been driving car since 14 years and been told that I am a cautious and a safe driver contrary to what I believed in before. There is something that I haven't disclosed though, I am scared of driving on slopes for the fear of losing control of the vehicle and bumping into the car behind me. This wasn't a problem for me, I would carefully and cleverly route myself to avoid the slopes in my journey when I was in Delhi. Chennai was different, en route to work I needed to cross a hideously steep flyover and each time my heart rate would pump up. I needed to find an alternate route, yes that was my grand solution... Until..
Me: So do you know of any routes to avoid this flyover to my workplace?
G: Why? That is the shortest way, there is an alternate way but it will take you time to reach since you leave in peak hour. Is something wrong with the route?
Me: Hmm.. Its just that I am afraid of slopes, I fear bumping into the car behind me. And this flyover that I need to cross comes in between
G: What?! Why din't you tell me before?
Me: Well I feel it's very silly and you might laugh at it
G: Why would I do that! Any fear big or small is not laughable, it might be small for me but big for you. You need to learn to overcome it. I will teach you to drive in slopes
Me: uh..mm *mummers* its okay, I will manage
G: Of course not! Don't worry, we will do this together
Me: So you will drive me then *hoping*
G: Yes I can do that but isn't it better to be able to do that on your own! It is always good to be independent. I am always there if you need me, but you should be self dependent
Me: Okay*after my feeble protests*
All was well, we were busy with our daily schedule that week and I was still a chicken when it came to slopes, but then later that week we went to cinema and this particular cinema hall near our house has the steepest slope you will ever see while exiting it. Usually its G driving when we are together, since I hate to drive and he loves it. This fateful day however after our movie, I headed as usual towards the passenger seat
G: Wait, I want you to drive us back. This is a perfect time to teach you
Me: *makes a sorry face* We can do this later, I am tired. It was a long dull movie
G: No, we are doing this now. Please get on the driving seat
Me: Can I drive after we exit *sheepishly*
G: Come on, get on with it
So I sat in the drivers seat, knowing the mountain (pun intended) that I have to climb. We reached the bottom of the slope and I nervously looked into my rear view mirror for some clueless victim behind me, there were none thankfully.
G: I need you to focus now, you can do this in two methods. First you need to put the acceleration slowly and release the clutch. In between you will notice that if you balance both correctly the car will stay still. You will feel the acceleration pull you
Me: And the second method *hoping it is him driving instead*
G: You can alternatively pull the hand brake and release it while pushing the accelerator.
Me: That sounds better, lets try the second first
G: No that's the easier one. We will try the first
Me: See there is a car coming, what if I bump it
G: Don't worry you won't. I am here
So I tried the first method, the thing with G is that, he won't let you do anything hap hazard. It has to always be proper and done completely. My car was protesting midway, I swear it did this on purpose.
G: Try again, go reverse and climb up again. Remember what I said
Me: What! I am halfway up, I can't do this again. Please lets continue later. Look the security guy is also coming. He is been suspiciously staring at us!
G: You stop worrying about them, only listen to what I am saying. Go reverse and try again. Do this till you get it right
Me: You are driving me crazy! I don't want to do this. Look that car guy is giving us glares!
G: Calm down first. Why are you paranoid thinking what other people are going to say! They are not going to help you when you get stuck. You need to do this for yourself. Listen to me, please trust me. I don't want to force you into anything you don't want to do but this I know will help you.
Me: OH GOD! okay fine. I will go reverse
After what seemed like a million efforts, I got it right! yipee! It was a great feeling. G did not leave with that day alone. Even small speed beakers were not spared from my practice. We did this over and over till I was confident. He made sure that I could handle the smallest and the biggest slope in history before his class got over.
At the time, I was hesitating and embarrassed of the public practice but now I am glad, since I no longer avoid routes. I am sure within myself that I can manage on my own. That I feel is very important. We all have fears, some bigger than the others but we need to fight our demons and find the correct way out not the shortest way.
G has always encouraged me to face my demons, better still given me weapons to fight it. But I warn you he is not an easy teacher!
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