Between the ages of 2.5 and 9, I lived in a delightful township within a tiny village called Aapakoodal deep in the south. The closest big city from there is Coimbatore (about 2 hours drive). Erode is about half an hour away. As a kid it was a fun place because one could go around the entire campus without any adult accompanying us. It was a very safe place and everyone knew everyone.
I’d just skip out of my house and go over to any one of my friend’s houses. Sometimes we’d even do night overs (something which I stopped after moving to the city). Looking back I am surprised I did night overs at that young an age.
My school was located right outside the campus on the highway. My family had a driver working for us and he would drop and pick me up from school. Usually I would drop off a few of my friends as well.
This driver, Murugan, had the habit of chatting up with all the local shopkeepers outside the school in the evening when he’d come to pick me up. So my friends and I usually waited for him to finish up his conversation before we left the place.
One evening, as always, I walked to the car after school. My classmate Arthi accompanied me as I was going to be dropping her off at her house. Murugan was talking to the owner of the shop just outside the school. I would have been around 7 then. I noticed that Murugan was busy and I could try being the driver for once. I hopped onto the driver seat. Arthi was in front of the car, play acting like she was wiping the windshield from the outside.
I was fiddling with the ignition and stepping on the gas pedals. Suddenly I felt the car lurch. I had started the car, but in just a nano second I turned off the ignition. Murugan’s heart almost leapt out of his body as he witnessed this. If I hadnt been alert enough I’d have mowed Arthi down and then possibly all other people behind her. Arthi and I giggled about it after that because at that age we didnt know the implications. Everytime I think of it now I go ‘Oh my God! 😱 What if..... ?’
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