Muscle Memory!

In courtship, the man of few words simply arrives in a car with muscle.

BEAUTY & THE BEAST!

I'm not the sort of girl who dreams of a prince on a white horse, galloping to save me.  I'd so much rather be riding that horse myself!  Tonight, the wise man hands me his keys, and tasks me with driving us home.

A dirt road in the middle of Texas.  The First Forever Love is explaining Clutch, Gears, Gas, Break Pedal.  Later, he is teaching me to parallel park.  After that is learnt, I take my driving test and because it is America, I pass on my first attempt.

The last time I drove a manual car was almost two decades ago in Los Angeles, 1994!  The man promises to be patient with me as I reacquaint myself with Clutch, Gears, Gas, Break Pedal.  The challenge is to get us home in one coherent piece, driving on (for me) the opposite side of the road.

I drive the car once around the parking lot at the Regent Hotel.  Muscle Memory!  It's all coming back to me!  

It's all coming back to me, including almost stalling and getting stuck up the ramp upon leaving the car park!  

Muscle Memory!  Pull on hand break immediately!  Step fully onto the clutch with the left foot!  Muscle Memory!  Don't panic!  Remember that once you used to whiz up and down those streets in San Francisco in your dinky little (manual) car!

Off onto Grange Road, switch into 3rd, 4th gear, oh Muscle Memory!!!  Vroom, Vroom!!!  The car is an adorable beast and I haven't even had the chance to put it in 5th and 6th gears!  Damn, damn narrow Singapore streets with too many traffic lights and over- vigilant police on the prowl!

Muscle Memory!!!  Vroom, Vroom!!! 

(All other drivers, stay away from me, don't pull up so close!) 

Vroom, Vroom!!!

Five minutes later, I've reversed, I've parked.  We are unscathed.  I am feeling the adrenaline rush that comes from physical activity.  I need to stretch my left hip out- the clutch is really heavy.  I look at my man fondly.  He looks back at me with a gentle, knowing smile.  How wise is this man?  Behind every successful man is not a woman, but his own shadow trailing a long shape, for his woman is right there beside him, driving.