The two basic rules of driving

Some drivers break rules most of the time; they dismiss road signs, crisscross lane markings, and threaten human beings in other vehicles. Today I will introduce the two basic rules of driving with specific examples, one as a passenger and the other as the driver. These rules may be followed by all drivers and you too if you happen to be that unfortunate passenger!

The first rule: Beware of other drivers!

Chitra, a dear friend of mine, migrated to Canada seven years ago. And with the single-mindedness of a beaver, she went after securing that Canadian driver's license. After hurtling over Indian roads with her two-wheeler and four-wheeler, she was confident of conquering the Canadian highways. Soon, with the coveted "G2" license in hand, she called and asked me to accompany her to take delivery of her car.

Breaking the ice

I resemble an ice carving; silent, apparently lacking human emotions. With persistent global warming it would be a matter of time before I melted away without a trace. So I borrowed a page from Barack Obama and decided to “change”; become more human. Make history in the process, even if it was confined to the book shelf of my family home.

I mentally backtracked to find the reasons for this turn of events. I started chipping away at the block of memory from early childhood. I found myself in my grandparents’ house. It was dark. Energy conservation was in effect and at exactly 7 p.m. the lights went out for two hours. In the early sixties, this was family prime time. Radio played only when it was plugged in. Television was merely read about in newspapers. The World Wide Web was still three separate words.