We were running out of private places to hangout.
I can’t stand crowds, and he don’t want the word to spread.
(It’s incredible how such a small community can be so desperate for ANYTHING to burn)
So he took me in his car to a very deserted area in the middle of a pitch black palm field.
He parked his car in front of an uninhabited house, and looked at me, “You’re sure about this?”
“Doubtless,” I grinned.
He got out of the car and came to my side, opening the door and sat himself in my place as I crossed over to the driver’s seat.
I buckle my seatbelt and remind him to buckle his.
I adjust my seat, the mirrors…
…release the hand break, pick up the clutch, press the accelerator…and d.r.i.v.e.
***
After a while, he broke the silence, “You really like driving, don’t you?”
“What made you say that?”
“Your face. It’s glowing with pleasure.”
[I’m not yet allowed to drive beyond gear-2, especially in these narrow, rural roads. I don’t mind; it’s his car, it’s his classes and he’s my tutor. The only thing that mattered is that I can drive.]
I asked him to light me a cigarette. The car slightly swerved as I picked it up from his hand, and I apologized.
“It’s fine; you’re controls are improving,” he took a drag from his own cigarette, and exhaled his thoughts, “why driving?”
“For the sense of competence,” I paused to concentrate when a truck passed by our car. “Baba still drives himself on 8-hour journeys from Jakarta to his village in the Middle-of-Another-Nowhere. And on these trips, I’ve never been able to say, ‘take a break and let me drive for you, Baba,’ and actually mean it, when I really, really do want to mean it."
I took a deep sigh, threw the cigarette out of the window and continued,
"There’s a distinct sense of satisfaction; when you can tell your dad to sit back and enjoy the ride for once in a while.”
I must've looked really sad when I said this, because I felt a pat on my head, hearing him say, “I make sure you will.”
He’s one person who knows a thing or two about unreturned favors to parents.
Yeah, we’re working on it.
5 afterthinkers:
Haha. I thought when he was coming over to your side of the car, you guys were gonna have sex.
Damn you! Got me all excited for no reason :P
Now why am I so unsurprised with your assumption?
:P
You need to get laid, man, get your face off the screen from time to time. Nyahaha..
Don't put all of the blame on me. Anyone reading this would have thought the same. You are such a tease ;)
Yeah, I got all devlish as well
\_/
By the way, you proved my suspicions right. Once you spoke of your father with a full heart, I thought "She IS like my sister!"
You see, she LOVES dad and cannot stand mama's guts!!
I wouldn't want to be riding in the car with both of them unless I make sure I am the one talking the entire ride.
I need to correct that: I love both parents, and my mama has lovely guts...we just have our quirky disagreements.
Sometimes.
Well...There are things that I'll never agree on with mom, but, but...she really does have lovely, compact, and healthy guts!!
*sheepish smile*
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