Learning To Drive

 #USA

Post#7

Learning to drive :

I had to take a couple of formal behind the wheel lessons from a driving instructor before I started driving on the freeways. After that there was no looking back. 

Whenever Abhay had a day off we would set out on a drive. Do deewane shehr mein ! So naive and stupid we both were at the time. When we grew fond of anyone we didn’t bother about formalities. In that spirit when we had the urge to leave home and meet our friends we would sit in the car and reach their place unannounced,like we did in India. One such stupid outing taught us a lesson. We arrived at one of Abhay’s friend’s home on a Saturday afternoon and his wife made no bones about her displeasure and told us “Here in the USA etiquette is to first check if it’s ok to stop by “ !! 

Oh boy !! We NEVER made the mistake again ! We started driving,just the two of us ,to nearby destinations like Lake Geneva ,Indiana Dunes, St Louis, Milwaukee etc . Sometimes even closer destinations like the Aurora temple , Baha’i Temple or Lake Shore Drive. Just fun drives. Most often it was me behind the wheels.

Spring through fall this was our routine. Chicago winters were pretty rough. Driving would get a pause when the roads were slippery and snowed down. 

Summer of 1991 Abhay had a month long vacation and we decided to do a cross country drive from Chicago to meet his sister in San Diego. More about this trip later.

Today’s saree is another of my 30+ year old possessions. At the time I had bought it simply because it looked pretty. More recently I found out it is a single cotton Pittali weave from Ganjam district of Odisha. So it happens to be my very first Odisha handloom. Body has a beautiful sienna color and there is a beautiful fresh green on borders and pallu. Bandha motifs occupy body, borders and pallu. I prefer mild starch on this saree. There are poignant memories attached to this saree.

 I used to drape it during my residency and when I was newly married. It sees daylight occasionally  whenever Abhay requests me to drape it.