Give a car and enough holidays and way I go on the roads of this beautiful country!
I like to travel and my family of 5 has a very special appetite to roam across different cities. We prefer either train or most of the times our car to go to any distant places. Thus not surprisingly my longest road travel till date is a 3500-4000 Kms marathon from Pune-Kolhapur-Bangalore-Tirupati-Chennai-Bangalore-Kolhapur-Pune. Indeed, though the car was a hatchback I truly enjoyed the trip. Now why is Mummy the centre of this post? Read on....
In my Palio or any other car that I drive and if Mum is accompanying me, then it is the central back seat which she occupies - ALWAYS. I remember those days when we used to have a Fiat Padmini and even then she used to sit on the centre seat and keep an eye on all proceedings!
Once casually asked as" Mom aap peeche kyon baiththe ho? Aur beech mein hi kyon baithte ho?
She replied: I like to sit there!
I was not fully convinced. I insisted further that you can keep an eye on all the proceedings while sitting in the front right next to me. After trying very hard this is the answer that I got-
" If I sit on the left hand side when you are driving (Cleaner side) then I won’t be able to see the SPEEDOMETER so clearly. Also, will never actually know at what speed you are driving. So I sit at the back and keep looking at that needle that goes till 80 km/hr and make sure that it remains there.............hahahahhaahhahahahahhaaa And finally, I don’t want you to know that I am checking the speedometer! LOL
Now when I look back I recollect many times that whenever I crossed that speed limit there was a short touch on my left shoulder from back side. It was enough an indication that I am speeding and that I have to cut down a bit. In all those days I was not sure as to how come Mom knows that at what speed I am cruising and how come that within seconds that hand used to come and slow down the things!
That is not enough yet. She also lets me know the coming speed breakers and that I have to take the next right or left on the roads. That I have forgotten to wear my seat belt and that there are few potholes coming up..... hahahahahahhahaha. She is everywhere.
Next is the hills! She likes the hill stations but not the Ghatsthat accompany them. Recently, we were planning to go to Matheran and quickly came the question - Is there a Ghaton the way? I said Yes offcourse. So can we go to some other place? With lot of convincing we finally went there and btw, the Ghat indeed is challenging too....
Well, even the post is having some fun in it but I also understand the worrying mother behind this. Its our mothers that make sure that everyone in the family is safe and healthy. That we are not taking any unworthy chances with ourselves and endangering our lives.
Today, I still follow the promise that I have made to Mommy - not to drive beyond 80-90+ even if she is not around and try to follow her footsteps.... Thank you Mom for making me a matured driver and a safe cruiser......
To all Mummies - JAI HO....
Dinesh
