PRISCILLA TAKES THE WHEEL

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 70, 15 December 1933, Page 30 (Supplement)

PRISCILLA TAKES THE WHEEL

First Driving Lesson; Eyes on the Road

(BY

J. L,. GILION)

pitISCILLA has been taking lessons in driving. At least she has had one, and, to her, that one is practically the whole course. Yesterday she rang me up and said that from two to four she would be taking a lesson, so if I could manage to see her about five she would tell me all about it. “Of course,” she added, “it will be frightfully easy. I'll most likely take you for a nice long drive on Christmas Day. You see, I’ve been reading the book of instructions and know exactly what to do with the gears and the brakes.” “And tbe clutch?” I asked. “The clutch? Oh, yes, of course; how silly of me. The book says the clutch is most important. It's somewhere down on the floor, isn’t it?” My heart sank. I thought of Priscilla grinding gears and doing every-

thing that she jWQy/' shouldn’t do. I V'gg' thought of tow ropes and repair bills, or scripped gears, and useless cars. My thoughts were abruptly cut short, Priscilla deciding that it was time to ring off.

“Cheerio,” she called. “See you after my lesson. Do you want to come with me when I get my license to-morrow?” Two hours passed, and to my fevered brain they seemed like years. I rang the ambulance several times to see if there had been any accident, and even rang the police. And then, just as I had made up my mind that Priscilla had gone for ever, there was a tap on the door, and in burst Priscilla brimful of vivacity and conversation. “Well, how did ?” I had no time to finish, for Priscilla decided that this was a solo number, and she was to be the soloist. “I think driving is great fun, only next time I’m going to see that I have a different instructor. Mind you, he was awfully good-looking, and was perfect when he smiled, but I think he was rather rude. Why, every few minutes he spoke quite sharply and told me to keep my the car, and my eyes on the road.' And do you know he swore when I nearly hit another car. It wasn’t as if it was my fault. The other driver was an obvious road hog. As for keeping my eyes on the road ahead of me—l never took them off once. And, by the way, as we were

3 coming along the Quay I saw that my I milliner had reduced that hat I want r from 45/- to 39/11." ; I groaned. “After that," she continued, “we [ went up The Terrace to Kelburn, and ; going up Glasgow Street, I remarked that I liked the white lamps, and the > instructor got quite rude. He said > that it would be more to the point if ; I kept ray ‘lamps’ on the road in front , of me. However, I thought I’d better - humour him, so I smiled sweetly, and . forgot that we were on a hill; and I was going so slowly that I stopped with a jerk. He got angry again, and asked what my gears were for. I didn’t take much notice of him this time. Anyway, I was too interested in the alterations to Dolly Crankshaft’s house. I think she’s turning it into two Hats. I always had an idea her husband didn’t get a big salary, and I know she hasn't a bean.” “Oh; and where did you go then?” “Around Upland Road and over the viaduct. Halfway across the viaduct the Instructor told me to change down into second. I thought he said ‘change for a second,’ and so I stopped, and got ready to let him change over into the driver’s seat. He got rude again, and told me that it was bad enough to stop when it wasn’t necessary, but that there was no excuse for stopping right in the centre of the road. You know, he got me all upset, so that when I did start again I forgot to disengage the hand-brake. He told me that I would never make a driver, so I looked at him and told him he would never make a gentleman.”

“Priscilla," I ventured, “the man was only doing his best. You must disengage the brake before you start.” “That’s right!” wailed Priscilla, searching hurriedly for a few square inches of pocket hadkerchief. “You would side with the enemy. You men are all alike. Anyway, just to show him that he couldn’t cow me, I started the car again, and took her aervss the viaduct. It seemed to be a bit noisy, but I didn’t take much notice until the instructor—the brute— sniggered, and said, Tlow about changing gear?’ And in mv haste to do so, I forgot to push the ciutch pedal. Well, of course, after his exhibition, further conversation was impossible. I put my head in the air, started up the car, and looking neither to the right nor to the left, I drove back to town. When we got back to the Quay, the brute said that possibly I thought I was perfect, but he didn’t. So he suggested that, in the interests of public safety, I had better let' him drive through the rush hour traffic. I merely glared, and then, bn second thoughts, I thought I’d better let him have his way. And. really, he was nice looking side face.” Priscilla looked thoughtful for a moment, and then said, “Perhaps I’d better keep to the same instructor all through. Yon see, I'll get to know his ways.” I agreed. I thought it was the easiest and safest tiling to do.