Driving with Tah-Koo-Mee

Yesterday was supposed to be training at Yishun. Last chance of vertical endurance training before the 'test' at Krabi.

Usually, it's an hour+ journey on the train to Yishun and a short walk to Safra. Although not exactly comfortable, our world-class transport system does have its merits; I do get to places I want without much trouble.

I wouldn't mind some entertainment along the way but no thanks, TV Mobile.

However, the journey to Yishun yesterday in my friend's car proved to be the break I might have been looking for.

My training partner - lets call him Tah-Koo-Mee; offered me a ride. He got his brother's car - a Hyundai Getz - for the day. In fact, we just drove to Yishun last week too.

"So how to go to Yishun ah?" Tah-Koo-Mee asked, when I got in.

"Huh? We just drove there last week leh. You don't remember liow?", I replied. You picked me up from this same bus stop dude!

"Can't remember liow lah."

Waliow, such short term memory. Gave him the directions and we went on our way.

- - - - -

Nearing Hume Park area along Upper Bt Timah, a number of barriers were put up on the sides and the road narrowed into 2 lanes.

We were on the right lane, when a truck in front, on the left edged towards the lane divider, without signals as usual.

Tah-Koo-Mee became edgy too. Our car slowed to almost a standstill.

"Hey don't stop!", I blurted.

"I don't know what he want to do!" Tah-Koo-Mee replied, referring to the offending truck.

"You still got your lane what!", I pointed out.

The truck did not cut in, another case of an idiot who doesn't keep to his lane.

"You slow down like this can cause trouble for the cars behind leh", I added. "Keep your speed and drive through lah."

"Don't want lah. I don't like it tight", Tah-Koo-Mee said.

TIGHT???? Please lah... You think you driving what? Hyundai Getz, you know?

- - - - -

We got on the BKE smoothly, got off at Mandai road and turned to Yishun.

Our conversations led to Initial D, Takumi (the real one) and his cup of un-spillable water.

"Your driving is so unstable, if I put a cup here, the water will spill all over." I commented. Following that, I placed my Nalgene bottle on the dashboard.

Bad move on my part, I realised.

We were running on a straight section and Tah-Koo-Mee was really focussed on getting the water in the bottle not to shake about.

Not a difficult thing to do, considering he was only going at 60km/h. But I soon found that Tah-Koo-Mee's eyes were on the bottle instead of the road!

"Eh better keep your eyes on the road lah", I quickly took the bottle off.

WHEW! That was a very very stupid thing for me to do.

- - - - -

As we neared Yishun, the weather took a turn and soon, it was pouring. Visibility was very low.

"Wah, so hard to see. So heavy rain and so dark." Tah-Koo-Mee said, as we tried to make out where we were.

I thought that comment was weird.

While the rain was indeed heavy, it was nowhere dark. I could still make out the surrounding traffic quite well. Maybe he needs to turn up that wiper speed. But still... I looked at him and understood why.

"eh, take off your sunglasses lah!"

"oh yeah hor!"

Sigh, we will make a Takumi out of you yet!