My Volvo and Me

Thats right. You're about to know more about my baby. My Volvo. My car. My ol', used Volvo. With weathered out brakes. Only the speakers on my side function properly (and I like it thata way). But I still love it. With its smell. With the way it doesn't accelerate suddenly, which always gives me a start. It has a sweet seat warming thing. Its spacious and being my first car, I couldn't love it more than I already do. The best part was that we didn't really buy buy it. Back in October, a friend told us about giving his car back to the company. For NOTHING! I'd just turned 18 and dad was wary about me driving his car around. I think that's pretty common with most men. Their car is theirs and NO ONE but them can drive it. If you do, be prepared to watch 'em grumble and tell you to do something THIS way not THAT way. So I jumped at the opportunity and wondered if I could borrow (OWN! mwuaha!) his car.

"Hey, sure! I never thought if that. It'll save me all the paperwork too."

WOOT!

And thereon, started my romance with my baby :) Sorta. You see, I have a temporary license. That means I can sure as hell drive around, but with someone who has a permanent license next to me. No big deal. Dad got busy with his work and I latched onto mom to sit next to me while I drive around.

I love it. The drive gives me a break from everything - college, coarsework, household chores. It helps me unwind and relax for a bit. It IS very important to me 'cuz it makes me feel responsible (not like the older sibling 'responsible') and well, feel like its a stepping stone to the life I want. Weird huh. Today I gave my car (ah, that sounds so good hehe) a wash and then mom and me headed out to drive around the city. Now the funny part is, my dad doesn't know we drive out of our local community. He doesn't want me to go out there without him taking me there first. Yeah... but as if I could wait! I took my mom "out into da world" a couple of months back and revelled in our tiny secret. It isn't tiny, because one screw-up can get my temp license cancelled AND the possibility of getting a permanent one, real bleak.

It had been quite a while since I'd driven . Maybe a month or so because over the winter break we had road-tripped to Florida (and there were enough permanent licensed-drivers *sigh* to take us there) and the day after we came back, I was running between classes.

My mom was doubtful about taking me out but somehow I convinced her that I was confident. Truthfully... I wasn't. And my mom's continuous, "There's a STOP sign coming up", "You're going too fast! The speed limit's only 35 here", "STICK to YOUR side", "Turn left.... TURN TURN, hurry!" weren't helping haha. And it bugged her when I laughed whenever she said something like that. I knew a STOP sign was coming up. I knew I was over the speed limit by a couple of mph. I knew how to make the turn, 'cuz I was the one in the driver's seat, right? In the end she realized I wasn't breaking any rules and driving quite carefully. I like it that way. When my mom relaxes next to me and in a way trusts me with the driving. Its a completely different case with my dad. He doesn't stop telling me what to do, and if I smile at it (and God help me if I laugh), he thinks I've probably lost it and tells me to CONCENTRATE ON THE FUCKING ROAD lol. No music. Nothing. Now... if there's no music playing, I start getting jittery. Anxious. And start losing focus. Instead of relaxing, its the opposite. Funny how that works. It is pretty sad that unlike my mom, he doesn't compliment me, even if I drive well (and don't crash into a fire hydrant). I like sincere compliments. Who doesn't? He doesn't take me to drive in the first place (its the "we'll go tomorrow" or "next weekend" scenario) and when he DOES, not a word. No, "That was a good turn", "Good driving today" or even a, "You're getting better". Men of a few words...

Oh well.

He might take me tomorrow onto the road for the first time *grins* and I'm hoping he realizes I'm good enough to give the driving test. High time I did!

Song of the night: I Can't Tell You Why - Eagles