My fantastico car

It was an evening in August, a year and a half ago. We were at the showroom ready to take home the new car. The showroom staff asked us if we'd like a picture with the car, and to my surprise, my dad nudged me to be the one in it! That was his way of saying that this car was meant to be mine.

My first ever car! It was an fantastico feeling. I had learnt to drive more than a year before, but hardly ever put the art to use, since there was no car for me to use it on.

For the first few days, I made sure I always had someone else in the car with me to help me make sure I was right in estimating its boundaries. Driving in India is very difficult; there are too many vehicles on the roads, and there's practically no lane system for them to follow, so a bike can just whoosh right past your car, in less than half an inch of distance, leaving you less than half a second away from a heart attack. This happens often, so it's just a matter of time before you get used to it.

After a month, I started to drive alone, and it was bliss. I turn up the stereo high when the roads are empty and sing along as loud as I want, and it's a great feeling that no one outside can hear me (though some do stare). The car is a great stage for bathroom singers like me to express their talents.

I've got to say one of my favorite things about my car is the availability of a charging point; how often do we walk out of the house and realise our phones are low on battery? It happens to me quite a lot, and ever since I got a car, that isn't a problem anymore.

Odd as it may sound, my car is more to me than just a machine. It breaks my heart when there's a new scratch on it, or even worse, a dent. I sympathize with it when there are too many people in the car, and it requires more force on the accelerator to move ahead. I feel at unease leaving it parked in the hot sun (though that's partly because it's boiling on the inside once I get back to it). I've even come to love its tiny flaws. I feel bad that it has to deal with the burden of our ill caretaking and negligent frequency of cleaning and servicing. It still stays loyal and treats my wish as its command. It even works hard to keep me cool, dry and untouched while it’s blatantly exposed to humidity, rain and pollution. I love it more than I'd ever love any pet, and it deserves that kind of love; my car is simply fantastico!

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.