Have you ever tried this before?

We were all 17, the year which most of us got our driving licences. I am sure many of you remember how it feels. The elation of being behind the wheel was quite sensational feeling. Calling out friends for “yum char” session at night is a norm while occasionally; most road newbies will head to Lorong Haji Taib to check out the transvestites.

But for me and my friends, we had other ideas…

While driving out at night is already quite a challenge, not many parents will allow their children to take the car out till the wee hours of the morning. But so happen, one of our friends had this liberty. And we will all cramped into this dad’s Iswara Aeroback (could be 6 or more) for our night adventure.

One one… well, actually a few nights… we headed to… the cemetery… Now, this cemetery is not the current expensive and modern type where there is vast land and there are proper roads going into its compound. The one we headed too is a typical Chinese cemetery by the hill where tombstones are located just by the driveway.

Try to imagine… 6 or more of us cramped into a car… those unfortunate souls sitting at the side have their faces literally plastered against the door windows. Can you imagine your face and the tombstones are merely a breath away? You can really see “their” portraits smiling at you. And may I remind you, it was right smack in the middle of the night.

That’s not all…

In this particular cemetery, the driveway heading into it can only fit 1 car. It means if you drive in, you have to drive all the way into the cemetery before you can come out on the other side of the hill. It’s what you call a … one way ticket.

As a risk control measure and to ensure that we can escape in the event of any “emergency”, we decided to… reverse in. Yes… put the gear to reverse and head into the cemetery with the backside first so if anything is to happen, the driver can switch to 1st gear and accelerate out immediately.

Yes, it’s reverse gear and 1st gear and 2nd gear… it’s a manual car. Can you imagine the feeling if the driver releases the clutch too fast and the engine died? And… the car refuse to start? Honestly… never crossed out mind.

And one more thing… when the car is reversing in, everyone except those sitting at the side were looking towards the back, nobody was looking at what is in front of the car. Halfway through…

“Eh, mo yan mong chin min meh?” (No one looking in front?)
“Lei mong lah..” (You look lah)
“Huh, lei mong lah” (Huh, you look lah)
“Wan go yan mong chin min, fai tit!” (Quickly get someone to look in front!)

No one did. Well, probably there’s nothing in front anyway, right?

Nothing ever happened though it was quite spooky. Looking bad and consider the ‘what ifs’… what if the engine did die and unable to start when we are in the middle of nowhere! That would have been something.

Tried anything like this before?

Heading to Melaka this weekend and probably going to eat myself silly in Jonkers Street Bazaar.

Have a good break all of you and to all AZAIG Hindu readers… Happy Deepavali!