My Parents. Classic Parents.

Last night when I came home, my dad excitedly told my mum that they were going out.

"Where?" I asked. "Papa, I want to go too!"

My mum, however, was reluctant. "Don't want la, Papa. I'm wearing PJs and I'm very tired." She complained.

My dad refused to take no for an answer. "Eh, you paid so much, you better go. Don't waste the money."

And so, after some coaxing, my mother finally rose from the sofa (coincidentally after her favourite tv show has finished), and changed.

My dad whipped out the bright translucent "P-Plate" and I realised where they were going.

You see, my mum has been taking refresher driving lessons after her retirement, in a bid to try and learn how to handle her greatest fear- the automobile. She had her license for twenty over years, but hasn't turned a corner or braked at the stop line in that same amount of time. After some lessons, the instructor has decided that she should be ready for the road. And so, my dad is here to teach her on the real road.

After I had pasted the 2 bright triangle plates in the Rush, they started. It was nothing short of hilarious.

"I cannot la, my hands are sweating." My mum said.

"Aiya, just try la. Okay, go into that carpark." My dad said.

After 4 or 5 rounds in a small little roundabout carpark (where she almost hit a motorbike because she stayed too near the side), we were finally out in the main road.

"Where? Pa! Where to turn?"

"Keep right. Eh, no, keep left. Left!"

"My hands are sweating."

"Mummy! You can just 敢敢 press the accelerator!" I exclaimed when I see that she's driving at 40km/h.

"People will horn me, you know. I scared la."

"No no, the P-Plate is here, they cannot horn you."

"You have to stop at the stop line and look, Mummy!"

"Mummy, you can try to brake slowly." I said when I felt a little nauseous.

"Let's go home. I'm done already."

"Cannot, I charge $25 per hour! It's only been half an hour. Now I don't earn anything!" My papa laughed.

And so, in less than an hour, we were home. I was sent to park the car after an irate lorry driver had to wait while my mother panickly tried to reverse the car.

I forsee many more lessons before my mother can finally overcome the fear and start driving like an F1 driver. But this is really a good lesson about overcoming your fears- at the age of 50 odd.

加油, Mummy!

(maybe I should paste that in the car to encourage her.)