My Bailiwick

Driving is my bailiwick. Not too fast, not too slow, just to drive. I don't know but I feel had I not been an engineer I would have been a driver. It awakens all my senses.

This is one of the driving incidents I would never forget. After making n number of requests and convincing him for two months, my dad finally gave in to my demand of taking the car to my college, that too me in the driver seat (me driving without my dad). But my mother was a little adamant, she insisted that I take some of my friends with me. Since I never drove my car without my dad before and the Mumbai traffic is not trustworthy, I agreed to their terms.

I informed two of my friends the day before (the day when I was going to drive to college) and they acceded to it. On my big day, sharp at nine in the morning I got into my car, put on my seat belts and requested my friends to trust me as I had some driving experience beforehand. I bid my mom goodbye and started on. Maintaining my aplomb, I started on, after driving for sometime I was full of confidence, energy and was feeling very enthusiastic and chary. Fortunately there wasn't much traffic on that day and it was a smooth journey.

 

At last I reached college and parked my car. One of my friends was getting late so she went in for her pracs and my other friend was guiding me to park. Suddenly I heard someone saying "Park properly". To my surprise that person was my uncle on his bike. All the way from my home till my college he was following me to see how I drive. I was completely shocked. I couldn't believe such a thing could happen to me, you know all this seems very filmy. And I did not even realise it any time while driving.

 

On returning home in the evening, my mom explained that she was worried about me and so she asked my uncle to follow me without my knowledge. And also if I would have parked appropriately I wouldn't have noticed him. Phew, how can I ever forget this day in my life!