Driving crazy

It is 3 years since I landed in Shajah. In whole of UAE, Sharjah is supposed to be topping the list of emirates wherein getting a Driving License is considered most difficult and uphill task!

Initially, I sort of, pooh poohed those who were telling this to me. I felt that it would be just a cake walk for me, especially when I had the experience of driving vehicles for over 20 years, having obtained the license 20 years ago in home country, and also with blemish less track record.

On my first "Kacha"test, my RTA inspector hesitated for a while whether to clear me or not and finally told me that word "talim". When I looked up in disappointment, he told those words, "Next time, I will pass you, Insha Allah"!

I felt that it would be just a matter of another test and thereafter one final assessment, then I would have in my hands, that beautiful piece of plastic card which would be precious than other credit cards snuggled away in my wallet!

Since then, and strangely enough, I have been giving "Kacha" tests for five more times without luck and, not had the chance of meeting the same RTA inspector who had made that promise.

When you fail once, the next time around you change the style of driving from defensive to offensive and vice versa or, adapt a submissive style. Last test was on 26th February, when I went with a resolve that I will just go and drive without even blinking for a moment that there is an Inspector by your side.

When came my turn, I simply pulled out my car from the parked position on the side of the road from inside the yellow line, and the moment he signaled me to go faster, I started racing faster and faster and in the process, overtook a trailer by the fast lane and came back to the right side. He then made me to take a right turn and one more right turn, before finally instructing me to park on the road side.
I saw to it that I parked the car exactly as per the copy book style that my instructor had told me during the training.

Back at the RTA driving school when we reached with the 4th candidate, the inspector signaled 3 of us as having passed.

I never felt happier when I got promoted in my previous job or when I got a baby or even when I got married!

The inspector came and handed over me the slip with the "Pass" stamp. I thanked him and before leaving the place, I gave a glance at him, when I was pleasantly surprised to see the very same person who said to me those words, " Next time, I will pass you, Insha Allah"!

COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Once I had to drop a guest, at the Mumbai Aerodrome, who had to catch a flight to Tiruvanathapuram. We left home sufficiently early with two hours gap.
For the flight scheduled to leave at 1130hrs, we left home at 0930hrs with only 30 minutes drive to make on normal traffic conditions.

I was driving the car happily chit-chatting on various topics. I even recited my own 'haiku' that I drafted on Mumbai! Suddenly we realised the journey to Airport was unending due to the traffic jam. The road was dug up in the middle for some work and the vehicles were at loggerheads.

Our joyful conversation suddenly became not so joyful before it turned to silence and anxiety. We reached the Aerodrome with only twenty minutes for the takeof!

The ticketing Supervisor bluntly told that 'we are shut out for any more passengers and the flight is ready to takeof'. No amount of pleading was working until we heard that the flight already left Mumbai Airport.

Now the guest started enquiring about the next flight in Indian which was available only in the next day! I suggested that we will go to the other terminal to find out Jet or other Private airline before claiming refund from Indian. That is when we found out there was a Private Airline flight in the evening to Tiruvanathapuram.

Now I said we will go and get the refund from Indian. When we approached the counter, the supervisor came towards us running and announced those sweet words,"the flight returned due to some technical snag.. and she will leave again at 1:30 pm!"

That was just after marriage. We were catching a train in the night having left home just 30 minutes prior to the departure. Whilst on our way, my wife remembered to have left the wedding ring on the mantle over wash basin! Racing against the time, we reached the platform after recovering the ring from home. The train barely pulled out of platform when we hurriedly boarded the train!

It so happened again in Mumbai, sensing that our taxi cannot reach the CST station to catch our Chennai train, we decided to board at Dadar station, which is 10 km nearer en route. Due to the unprecedented traffic bottleneck, we had to jump on to the already moving train when we reached the platform!

Recently last year, we landed at the Mumbai Airport just 25 minutes before departure of the flight. Obviously, the counter was closed. A daring supervisor took a quick decision to grant us upgraded business class status to us, relenting to my request! There, I think, the lady luck helped too.

All these events have made us to think that there is no great need to waste time at railway stations or at Airports!

I started to write this when received an sms from my wife yesterday ..that she has done it again!
Yes; she boarded the flight in similar finish like Commonwealth games!

All is well that ends well! Let the good luck continue for ever.

Well readers, shall we rename the word 'brinkmanship' to Commonwealth Games!