A tale to remember ……………………………………….

Starring : Aravind, Janesh, Karthik, Krishnan, Preethi, Sathya, Sriram and Vishnu.
Screenplay : Karthik

The spring semester has started and first week is done. Courses have been finalized and assignments have started to flow in. This is not the best time to register one of my best trips, but I want to pen it down before I forget it. 
Let me start of by giving full credits to Sathya who used his credit card to rent a car based upon the driving of four people:- me, Janesh, Vishnu and of course him. We started at 10 30 in the morning on a day that was supposed to be foggy. Two cars were rented – Grand Marquis and Suzuki Reno. One resembled Contessa classic the other was a Tata Indica.

“Hit the pedal Guyz!!!!!” was the call from everyone……..No one has driven before in U.S and the fear of getting busted in the middle of the road with knees down has been haunting everyone. Still, the adrenaline rush helped us move head. The route to Panama city includes three states – Georgia, Alabama and Florida. One hour into the trip and a warning came from a senior who left before “Guyz, I just got a ticket in Alabama for over speeding!!!!!!!”. When the phone line was dead, we heard a siren somewhere when I thought someone was getting a ticket somewhere. Sathya who was sitting next to me said “machan, namma than da”. My hands started shivering. I had no idea wat to do. We pulled our vehicle to end of the lane on the highway and removed our hands from the steering. Surprise Surprise, the highway patrol just crossed us and went ahead. That was an embarrassing moment. “Veeranuku ithellam chagajam” nu sollitu e continued our journey towards the Emerald Island.

After 7 and half hours, after 4 pit stops, after some shivering moments, we finally reached the place, Splash resorts.

“Refresh yourself guyz, wwe are going out on a drive” was the call from Professor sathya.

It was not a good day to start with. We went to Club La Vela, to find out that there is literally nothing there. On the way return, It was my turn to drive Grand Marquis. Vishnu and Janesh were hitting 100mph and since the crowd was afraid, they demanded one of the safest drivers(karthik  ) to get the car from them. We were driving happily on the panama city front beach road. “Vada mappilai Vala pala thopla” song was rocking in the car. I didn’t want to hear it, but, once again, I heard the siren, the alarm that frightened me off on the highway. I was driving the car at 55mph (very slow compared to 100mph) and the Florida police were right behind me. I thought that they were chasing someone in front of me, but looked up on the road to find out that there was literally no one before.

I parked the car before a Chinese restaurant and those guyz parked their’s right behind me. Its confirmed, it’s me this time. I am done. Vishnu was calm, just like me, Preethi was shivering and Krishnan’s face was a bit whitened. I stepped out of the car and spoke to him.

Office : Sir, you were riding at 55mph on a road with speed limit 35 mph

Karthik :I apologize officer

Offier : No son, it’s a crime to over speed here. Do you have a license?

Karthik : Yes sir, I do. Here’s my Indian License.

Officer : I am sorry. Does that mean that you don’t have a proper U.S license?

Karthik : Yes (The politeness was gone as I was afraid)

Officer : I am sorry. You look young to me. I think it’s a crime for you to drive here in U.S and you are arrested under the law.

Karthik : What?

Officer : Hands on your back!!!!!!!

Oh my god What have I done, I have ruined everything. I have ruined my life, I have ruined my studies, my parents will come to know of this and I am going to be ashamed. My heart beat was hitting the high scale but my face remained calm. I was handcuffed. My head started rolling and I fainted.

A flash went by and I found my hands still on the steering wheel. Contrary to my dreams, the officer accepted my Indian license, but still went on to annoy me for my passport which I had left in the hotel. After some 50 apologies, they warned me upright and I was on my Grand marquis again, but this time riding it at 30mph.

I think I have introduced only a few characters to you.

To be continued when I find time ………………………………

Next blog – How Sathya got busted, How Janesh tried to kill the jet ski trainer, How our snorkeling turned out to be waste of money and why we canoed for 3 and half hours!!!!!!!!!!