Yup! That’s me in blue jeans and the green helmet. You know when people say “addiction “well, I’ll tell you one thing, they were dead right about “adrenaline rushes”. I’ve had a thing for fast precision driving ever since I wanted to learn to drive and over the time I seem to have mastered some of the skill sets needed to be an excellent precision driver, at least that’s what the spectators say.
Not long ago, an accident had taken away my confidence, my confidence to drive fast while maintaining the ultimate standards of precision and accuracy, both in terms of handling and speed. Needless to say that it was reckless of me to be so wild because it’s actually dangerous (I can’t believe I’m saying this but it’s rather true). The amount of risk you put yourself in by taking it to the next level is equal to standing in front of a howling train at a speed you know it won’t stop, and will run over you or anyone/anything else for that matter.
It was a Saturday afternoon, a cloudy one and I was waiting for an old school friend to pick me up. Later that day, while having lunch we decided to go to this place in Lake View Park where there was a Go carting circuit, we both had heard about such a place but never had visited. So after a 30 minute drive we reached the park only to know that we were in the wrong section of it. We asked for directions and started walking until we saw the long high powered flood lights and stopped. I was looking at him and he was at me, “Man! Why didn’t we come here before”, I said. He replied “dude! “Let’s just do this”. Since we both were formula F1 fans, our excitement level got a little alleviated, okay, not a little it was out to the sky. Upon reaching the counter and getting through all the process of ticketing and signing the legal page which said that they will not be responsible in case of death or any damage. Well! We didn’t care anyhow, we were just excited to be here. Getting the perfect helmets and getting into the go carts seemed as if this was it, it of our lives. Nothing seemed more important than doing this thing right at the time and yes we made that angry face to each other saying “Eat my dust Bitch” and “ prepare to meet your annihilator” and what not.
So of we set at the checkered flag after the practice round at the grid. “I had 15 minutes to live life”, this is how I can explain my feelings. The sweet sound of your engine revs and the heavy back blow of your hydraulic steering wheel and the narrow edges is all I could pay attention to. Making every moment count, every turn, every straight leg and every chance to make your lap count. I felt cold and unrealistic until on one narrow turn I almost tallied out and flash back from that horrible accident hit me, for a sec or two I was in my dream mode, for what brought me back was the pit crew waving the flag that it was my last lap, I set my fears aside and hit the paddles like never before, forgot that brakes were ever an option and made to the finish line.
Taking of the helmet and moving towards the score board, pointing at each other and saying “I own you Bitch” came to realize that all fears can be overcome if you only try. Try with the dedication.
For me it was the last lap.
“Courage is not the absence of fear”
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