My first car..

As I have complained many times here, it takes almost four hours a day for me to travel from and to office. One fine day, since I had no other reason to argue with hubby, I raised this topic. “Dude…don’t you feel bad, since your wife is spending so much time for travel everyday? Why don’t you get me a car?” – “And who will drive it?” – pat came the reply! Now, this was a challenge to my potentially unknown driving skills. I had to prove myself, atleast for the sake of winning the argument. So, I started the operation – “How to learn to drive a car in 1 week?”

Driving a car is not easy. Especially, if you have a male tutor who is an expert in driving sitting next to you, and issuing instructions, all the time. And it becomes even more difficult, if the said tutor is the darling husband! You can’t even shout back at him and quit the course in the middle, because, your prestige is at stake. It’s a pain in the neck, I tell you! “Don’t do this! Fuel consumption will be more!” “Don’t do that! Fuel consumption will be more!” The even best way to save fuel would be to switch off the engine and walk back home. I many times doubted my own ability and even thought of quitting, even though I would have obviously blamed him for his inefficiency in teaching me! But, lucky for me, the said tutor and husband motivated me enough to drive successfully, without the engine getting turned off. Self-confidence pays!

And successfully enough, I learnt to drive, and even better, I also succeeded in making him get me a new car. Yep! I am now, the proud owner of a brand new Wagon R, although by now, it is a week old. Two days into getting the car, I started to drive to office, mainly to show off to everybody, that I can drive, more than to show off that my husband bought me a new car!

First day, driving in the bypass – God knows, how nervous I was, clutching the steering so tight, that I did not release it, even to reduce the AC which was in a freezing third level. Second day, my confidence increased to the level that I was able to drive back in the highway at 9 in the night. Just for your information, in case you don’t know, lorry traffic in the highway is high at that time. Third day, since I was an expert in driving by then, I decided to take over the responsibility from husband and leave the car in the shed – all by myself, after getting proper instructions – “Do not leave the accelerator, once you have reached the elevation. ” As instructed, I raised the accelerator, to leave the car inside the shed. After a second or so, the car did not move, no matter how much I raised it, only to realize that my husband was screaming like hell, outside the car. No, I didn’t drive over him. He was safe – but the car was not. I had crashed the side door of the car in our shed gate. It got stuck with the gate. Neither could I take it front, nor could I reverse it. After hearing some extraordinarily nice words from him, I got down of the car, and retreated to my room silently, like a kid, who breaks a toy, and silently vacates the place. As I was wondering in my room, as how to make a drama and back-blame him, he luckily came and pacified me, saying that insurance claim is still possible! Good for him, he escaped from my drama. Finally, his friends came to the rescue, and with the help of all mechanical instruments possible, they released the car from the gate. Not much damage – just a big dent and all scratches in the back door. Over-confidence also pays!

I know, I am eligible for all the appreciations, from near and dear for this, but where’s the thrill, if my car doesn’t have even a single scratch?? As our tamil poet has rightly said,

“Dent-odu ottuvaaare, nalla driver aavar,
matravar ellam otta theriyaadhavar!”

05:05:2011

Dear Swathi,
You are turning two today. Though I am getting tired of saying the same thing again and again, it still remains the fact that you two are growing really fast. Until you came, your sister was supposed to be the naughty brat, but you have proven her wrong. You are the naughtiest kid; I have ever seen or heard, next to your dad of course. To have your fore-head stitched twice, in a span of three months, is something, which even your dad could not achieve. So, you are the topper in the family, darling.

About this year, where do I begin? The moment you became a year old, you got used to staying away from me. Almost immediately after your previous birthday, you went for a vacation to your grandma’s place, for about 10 days, and you didn’t even remember that you had parents. You were having such a nice time there. And the moment, I came to see you after those 10 days, imagine what you did!!! You ran AWAY from me, to my mom. And the moment your dad came, you immediately ran to him. Dad’s girl you are…huh!This is something, which I will never forget. I shall get you at the right time for this, girl!!!

Even as I am writing this, you are pillow-fighting with your father, and it is your sister, who is defending you from your dad, in the fight. It is such a pleasant scene to watch you sisters being paasa-malargal. How I wish, you two be the same all the time! But, most often than not, you both become rival enemies, literally breaking my head. You keep fighting with your sister, for almost each and every thing she has or does. Only, when you require her assistance, and if your sister is in a good mood, can I witness the paasa-malar scene. You want to do whatever your sister does, be it studying, cycling, playing, dancing, whatever…irrespective of whether you are familiar with the act or not. But the moment, your sister gets hurt, or she starts crying, for no reason of yours, you are the first one to go and wipe her tears. You immediately become upset. You are such a affectionate little sis to have.

Your biggest achievement this year, apart from breaking your head twice, has been your understanding, when I had to stay away from you for one and half months. I could not handle the separation as good as you two girls. I kept on brooding all through the separation time. Honestly speaking, more than the fact that I missed you, I always had the fear that you would forget me, in my absence, given your level of affection to your father. But, thank god, you atleast remembered me, when I came back.

You are the perfect little sport, when it comes to outing. You enjoy the maximum extent, you can, whenever we go for dinners, or any outings. Even when we recently went to Coorg last month, you and your sister were the center of attraction. Am glad to see you enjoy, and that in itself, wants us to take you out always. You easily socialize with everyone. All it takes for anybody to get friendly with you is just a chocolate, and you easily go to them. But still, why you never allow me to take your photo is something, I cannot understand.

I am simply awed to realize that my naughty little kid is going to become a pre-schooler from next month. You are so much excited about going to school, and comfortable with your school ambience, that until now, for you, going to school is like going to a play-park, because that is what you have been doing every time, we go to visit your school. I only hope that you don’t keep pinching and biting all the other kids in your school, like you do to your sister.

You are going through so many phase transitions, all so very gradually, that I am not able to realize when my child is slowly becoming a girl… There is so much to say, that a single blog is not enough, for it go for pages together.

As always, we love you more than we loved you last year, and this will be the same every year…..

Loads of love and kisses,
Your mom & dad.

PS: Your dad would have definitely written more than this, if he had the patience to sit in one place and write a blog, and this applies not only for you, but for your sister as well. So, consider these letters as coming from both your parents. Love you darlings.