My First Day at Driving School – A Comedy on Two Wheels

        I don’t know what scared me more — the thought of actually riding a scooty or the idea of falling off in front of strangers. Either way, there I was, standing like a nervous contestant in a reality show, staring at the scooty like it was a wild animal that might bite.

    The instructor, thankfully, had the patience of a saint and the expression of someone who had seen too many panicked beginners in his life. “Don’t worry,” he said, in that calm, mysterious tone instructors seem to master. “It’s just like riding a bicycle... but with an engine, and weight, and potential speed, and, well... traffic.”

    That really didn’t help.

    I nodded like a brave warrior heading to battle, while inside I was writing my will. Then came the real challenge: sitting on the scooty. You’d think that’s the easiest part. But no — my legs had trust issues. One foot refused to leave the ground. The other tried, but panicked halfway. The instructor just watched silently, probably wondering if I’d survive past Day 1.

    After a deep breath (and a mini pep talk in my head), I finally placed both feet on the leg rest. It felt like a major life achievement. Olympic-worthy, honestly. And to everyone’s surprise — especially mine — I didn’t topple over. In fact, I began to move. Slowly. Wobbling a bit like a sleepy duck, but moving!

    Turns out, my years of cycling paid off. My balance was decent, and I didn’t crash into any poles, people, or plants. The instructor looked mildly impressed, or maybe just relieved.

    As I rode that first short stretch, I felt like a superhero… in slow motion… with training wheels… and a helmet slightly too big.

    But hey, I did it.

    And that was the glorious, slightly ridiculous beginning of my scooty learning saga.