Licensed to Drive... :D

Like a lot of other things, the process of getting my drivers license was also a whirlwind affair. There were points when thought I would definitely flunk the test, and I would've too, if I had made a couple more mistakes. Thank God I didn't, for that would've ruined the wonderful plans we'd made for the next day, the details of which will (hopefully) form the contents of another (hopefully) interesting travelogue.

I really have to thank Athreya, for having the patience to sit in the car with me while I practised for my manoeuvrability test as well as for parallel parking. I might have driven, maybe, 10+ miles just practising for the manoeuvrability test. Going front and back and front again, in a less than graceful way.

We rented a car, a Ford Fusion, from Enterprise Rent-A-Car and took it for a spin around Columbus in the process of getting my license. We also raided a few grocery shops in the area and (drum roll please) invited a comment about the amount of food items we were purchasing from a startled lady, standing ahead of us at the cashiers' at the local Indian store. In response, the only thing I could do was to make a wide grin and say that this would only suffice for a month. She didn't speak to us again! After close to 12 hours driving practise, we called it a day at 4am in the morning, hoping that both of us would get up in time for the test that day.

The day of the test was gloomy and rainy. Little did I know that it was a sign of things to come. The whole thing started off on the wrong foot as, unfortunately, I couldn't understand a word that was coming out of the mouth of the official sitting beside me. He'd asked to pull the windows down, but I heard it as turn the wheel. When the whole, 'excuse me', 'pardon me', 'sorry, I didn't get that' became too much for him, he said that he'd fail me if I said that again. This put in a peachy state of mind... I was nervous as hell. Never in my life have I been so nervous. I was sure that I was going to fail the test at this point. Though it was pretty close, I managed to make it through the manoeuvrability test without knocking down anything. Then began the road test. Apart for a few minor mistakes, it went off well.

I was so very relieved when the whole thing was done with. I was still shaking when I got out of the car and he said that I'd passed. He also made a less than encouraging comment before saying I passed. But, at that point I was like, who cares... I'm "Licensed to Drive!!!!" and our plans for next day will be all right.