The man who taught me how to drive!!!

Writing about another character in life who has influenced me. He was very much like my dad in the sense that he too like my dad, gave me instructions while driving a car!!! This is because, that person, was the one who taught me how to drive a car. I am writing about my car driving school instructor!!! A man by the name of 'Shiekh'. Tall fellow, and quite broad too. In fact he was so much of both length and breadth that he seemed to almost pop out from the small maruti car I was trained in. When he sat down in the car it used to 'shake', hence the name 'shiekh' (bad joke, a thousand pardons!!) His style of teaching was different.....he did not take you on the most 'low traffic' roads, even on your first day. He took you on roads which were medium crowded. He hated impudent ladies both on the road and on the drivers seat. He used to particularly hate the lady who was before me on the training schedule. Used to say....."She's a dimwit...Shows the right indicator while turning left and she's slightly confused on the 'keep left' rules."
"You are the best trainee i ever had", he used to say to me (Later on i learnt that he said this to everyone...except the ladies.......it did give the nervous driver the much required encouragement and the confidence to learn the ropes.)
When anyone got in the way of that small maruti car......he used to hurl the choicest of abuses at them......
Then i was terrified of driving in traffic (who isnt? at least initially everyone is...). I remember telling him that i was afraid that i would hurt someone by knocking them over...!!! Next day he took me on to the most crowded road in the city and told me to drive at the speed of 70 Km/hr.....I did as he told me to.....and he kept applying his pair of brakes wherever necessary.......as we came to the end of the road.....he asked me...."Did you knock down anyone?"
"No" I said.......so he says..."See there's nothing to be afraid of!!!"
Thats because you applied the brakes when required, wise guy, I had thought.......but then i realised that.....the fear of knocking someone had somewhat subsided........(It had been overcome by the fear of getting knocked over by a stupid maniac in a maruti car!!!!)
On the day of the driving test.....he had come with me ....and seemed to know everyone in the RTO office!!! Thats how everyone passes the test in India!!! I passed too. Today, Whatever little I know about driving a car is due to 'shiekh' and of course my dad!!!