@doodlyroses

The adventures, thoughts, and general scrawlings of a classical pianist


A small but important accomplishment

Hi my name is Sharon; I play two instruments, speak four languages, and I can now drive a stick-shift!*

Every couple weeks this summer my boyfriend’s been teaching me how to drive his manual transmission car, and this past weekend I got good enough to drive on actual streets with traffic lights and actual other drivers on the road.
I do have to point out, though, that it hasn’t been a smooth process. In addition to being a multitalented fellow, my boyfriend has the magic ability to stay perfectly calm while I…
1. …stall the car, yell, and let out a string of expletives,
2. …pop the clutch, yell, and let out a string of expletives,
3. …change the gear and mutter a string of expletives under my breath.
In fact, this was a typical exchange:
Him: Okay, hear that? You should change to fourth gear.
Me: OhgodohgodohgodokayhereIgo [changes to fourth gear]
Him: Good!
Me: I know I’m going at 35 in a 45 zone but I don’t care, if the other cars think I’m going too slow they can just go around me.
Him: That’s totally fine.
Me: Ohmygosh it’s a red light whatamIgoingtodo [censored censored censored]
Him: Just brake, you’ll be fine.
The reason why I wanted to be able to drive stick, though, was not so I could drive my boyfriend’s car at my leisure, or because I wanted to be a better driver in general, or any of the sensible reasons you might come up with.
I wanted to know how to drive stick so that if I’m ever in a situation where I’m running from bad guys and my only getaway option is a stick shift, I’ll be okay.
Hey, you never know.
*I still don’t know how to back up and I haven’t driven on the freeway yet, but I think that if I’m on the run from bad guys, backing up won’t be involved, and everyone knows only the criminals from “Cops” take their getaways to the freeway.


One response to “A small but important accomplishment”

  1. its bad enough teaching a woman to drive stick, but an ASIAN woman?! oh man… that guy has nerves of steel…

    JK i’m proud of you get really good and we can drag race some time! 😀

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