It’s weekend again and time to discard any mental entrapments of the week… However, before I proceed, let me do some ranting.
For sometime now I’ve been observing the types of drivers – or should I say Sabahan drivers – I encounter daily on the roads. Given the choice, I’d rather be a passenger than a driver at any time (especially on the roads towards the city). As a passenger, you’re free to look around, turn your head 360 degrees if possible, just to see who’s driving that weird coffin-shaped vehicle behind you or the pretty lass waiting for godot on the roadside. Alas for the driver, you’re too distracted to fully appreciate the sight of a diminishing sun and its amazing colours. Aah, even better! As a passenger, you have an excuse to nap while waiting for destination to arrive to you especially after work.
The main reason why I prefer not being on the driver seat is that I dislike the rat race. The rushing, the tailgating, the bullying, the impatience honking. Aiya. And may I add, the traffic jam? The combo zaps 10% of my energy even before I start my work for the day. On the other hand, driving is an interesting quick way of identifying a person’s character. Let me elaborate:
1. The *Sotong - This is the driver who seem oblivious to his surrounding or the rushing Toyota Harrier breathing down his neck behind him. At 40 kmph he’s just adamant to use the fast lane!
2. The Rabbit – Like the White Rabbit in Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland, this driver always seem to be on the run out of habit. “Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late.” Unchecked, this type of driver can easily turn into a pain-in-the-bumper.
3. The Shark – The tagline for this driver is “Get out of my way, worm!” Aggresive and pretty mean, this type of driver thinks he’s the Road YB/God even if he’s driving the smallest car in Malaysia. On many occassions, the bigger vehicles like the SUVs and trucks are the usual sharks. Snort!
4. The Chicken – Suspicious of any vehicles that come near, this type of driver is so cautious he’d slow down to 5kmph even when it’s NOT a tanker next to him. I’d imagine they’re the type who’d try hard not to make the dribbling sound while peeing in the toilet pool.
5. The Weasel – You sneaky, crafty drivers. They’re always cutting queue and finding ways to get to their destination ahead of everyone else even if that means creating a third lane when there is only two. (On a different note, I think it’s high time someone invent a flying car so we could all fly off when there is a traffic constipation on the road.)
6. The Eagle – Mindful of and corteous to other drivers, sharp and quick, this type of drivers will ease the strain off your shoulders and mind. They’re fast enough but not rushing. Unlike many others, they can locate their signal light stick and use it. They are sweet to drivers with a P sticker on their vehicles. In fact, with them you’ll find no use for those rich expletives you’ve been waiting to say out loud since becoming evil. Ben, my bestfriend, she drives like an eagle :)
Hmmm… Any more animals on the road that I’ve missed? Keep in mind that the average driver is a combination of two or three of the above traits. Anyway.
In the mean time, have a relaxing weekend. And if you’re a driver, please don’t dig your nose on the road. It’s… err distracting!
* from the Singlish term “blur like sotong” which describes a clueless person; sotong in Malay is squid
“Dancing With Porcupines” is a book I remembered from the library of the long-gone SAUC, my alma mater. I’m not sure if I finished reading the book but I wish now to have the book. It talks about people relationship including how to deal with difficult people. How is it that some people are able to tolerate irritating attitudes or peculiarities of others and deal with those morons without causing World War III. Hmmm… and then I wonder too how my family and close friends are able to withstand me at times. Generally I try to avoid conflicts and I shun (known to be) bad-tempered people. Secretly I can’t stand loud voices and I’m afraid of being in an argument. But it’s quite disturbing to realise how easy it is for me to turn into the very type of people I dislike. Impatient. Whiny. Angry. Dissatisfied. Negative.
finding the right size. I’m a size 4 (UK) and though that may seem common for smallish SE-Asian women but to add to that, I have skinny feet. Tiny and skinny that hey can pass as those of an undernourished 12-year-old kid. If they were a little broader, shoe-hunting wouldn’t be such a pain. For instance, I’d find a modest-looking pair, affordable, befits the purpose but ill-fitting: being slightly loose, causing distress to my lovely bunions or lacking cushiony support for my soles. In short, they end up making me walk like a duck. When I do find a good pair, they’d burn a hole in my wallet. Tck.
I have no collection to boast about but I have or have had several memorable pairs which I could categorise them into either: 1) comfy-cool, 2) uncomfy-cool, 3) uncomfy-weird, or 4) comfy-weird. Hehe. Comfy being comfortable, uncomfy as in torturing to wear; cool as in enhancing an ultra-feminine attribute to the wearer, weird as in having that out-of-fashion look to it.
few from Category 1 (How did I know? I got compliments!). Now, I could say there were plenty from Category 2. Well, women are known to risk their lives and health in pursuit of grace and height — like a heavenly herd of giraffes. Category 3? Stupid but yes, I did have some. An example, a few years back I bought a pair of electric blue slides with transparent heels. It was made of plastic and it was biting my toes each time I walk. Yeah, bought it cheap in Thailand. And not worth my blisters. Threw it away after walking in it less than a yard. Category 4? These are shoes so comfy, just a little sad-looking. Had a pair of tanned leather mocassin that I could run in but made my feet looked sorta splayed and broader at the tip. For a short person, that’s not really very flattering.
