365 Days- Book I

40. Car Keys

August 9, 2018

 "Write about someone getting their driver's license for the first time."

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The young girl's excitement is palpable and infectious; she stands a few steps ahead from where I stand in the queue, talking in an animated way as she waits her turn for being photographed.

There are different types of people in the queue, each one had a different reason; change of address, issue of a duplicate card, correction in the existing one, though all of us were there to have the photograph taken. It must be fun, though I have sort of forgotten how it could be, to finally get the small laminated card, the card to independence and freedom.

Most of us could hear snatches of the conversation, as she lined out how she could go where ever she wanted, without having to ask her father to drop her off or pray that she could get a bus in time or hope an auto rickshaw driver would oblige her and not demand a king's ransom to be ferried to a distance which was just a few kilometres away.

The girl beside her, who was equally excited, must be her friend. They both appeared to be planning as to the adventures they could have for their voices lowered to conspiratorial whispers. Then again the voice are raised, this time she was stating the colour she would like her scooty to be in.

It was heart-warming to see such enthusiasm; it made the waiting time pass much more quickly and I recalled how excited I had been. But years of driving through the chaotic traffic had turned that pleasure to a cynical necessity.

As she stepped out of the small room, and almost skipped her way out, I uttered a tiny wish; that she would always retain that enthusiasm, years after driving through chaos and chocked traffic.

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Word count 293