mm_phreak (mm_phreak) wrote in morningstar_mnr, @ 2008-05-24 11:38:00 |
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Entry tags: | memphis, travis |
Memphis and Travis, with Lucy, downtown in the afternoon
Since the bombshell had been dropped and his conversation with Del, Memphis had decided that it was as good a time as any to have a mild stroke. So he made his grocery list of things needed for the boil still and knocked on Travis's door to find out if the boy was going with.
Travis had declined until Memphis had dangled keys above his head. With the promise of being allowed to finally drive, he jumped on the outing.
Now, half an hour later, Memphis wondered if it was the best choice. Either way, there was no turning back. Travis would have a serious fit if he backed out of the driving lesson and for all Memphis knew, he'd wind up on the wrong side of the legal system.
Travis hadn't bothered to mess with the radio, he'd turned his cell phone off, and he'd even done the majority of the choosing produce at the market all while chatting about how excited he was.
As Memphis pulled into the empty parking lot Del had suggested his heart rate accelerated. Still he stopped the car, turned off the engine and unbuckled his seat belt. That was all Travis had really needed. He bound out of the passenger seat and all but bounced over to the drivers side before Memphis had the door open. He'd reached down and pushed the button for the trunk as well and upon switching seats he'd gotten some orange road cones. He set them up in an empty space before he got in the car.
Memphis took his time getting back to the car and buckling in, knowing full well Travis wouldn't be able to go anywhere without him.
That had proven true. Travis had already tried to start the car and was greeted with no warm purring from Lucy. Nothing at all. Not one single noise did she make. Travis, confused and slightly panicked, looked over as his brother got in. "How do you start this thing Memphis?"
Memphis grinned. It had been a long time since he'd been taught to drive standard. It was about time he could use the line his dad had told him. "Put the key in the ignition and turn." He relaxed slightly. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
Travis put his foot on the brake, one hand on the wheel and turned the key. Still nothing. He sighed a defeated breath. "There's gotta be something else to it."
Memphis nodded. "How many pedals you got there, Travis?"
Travis looked down between his feet. "Three. The drivers ed car has two. What's this third petal for?"
Memphis laughed. "That's your clutch. It is what helps you shift gears." He pointed at the shifter on the floor. "See that? It's the way you change gears too. The two work together so you need to use them together."
Travis rolled his eyes. "So how do I start the car?"
Memphis shook his head. "You haven't been watching me? Such a shame I thought you wanted to drive..." He laughed as Travis rolled his eyes. "Push in your brake and clutch then turn the key."
Travis extended out his right foot toward the pedals. "My foot's not big enough to cover both of them."
Memphis smacked his hand on his forehead. "Use the right foot for the two pedals you're used to and the left for the clutch." In the back of his mind he was already trying to figure out the cost of replacing the clutch.
Travis extended both feet, pushed the pedals, and Lucy roared to life. He grinned. "Now what?"
Maybe Memphis should have let him take the drivers ed car instead. It would have saved him these tediously boring questions that he was sure were in that drivers manual from the department of motor vehicles. At least they had been when he was younger. "Ease off the brake, take that stick and move it to first gear then ease on the gas as you let off the clutch."
Here is where Memphis concluded it would have been easier to show the boy first then try to explain it.
Travis attempted to do as Memphis said. Lucy groaned, shuddered, then lurched and stalled. He grumbled and tried again with the same result.
Memphis reached over and made sure his seat belt was locked. He didn't care for this lurching around bit, but that went along with the territory of teaching standard shift transmission. He nodded at Travis. "It takes a bit to get used to. Keep at it."
Travis nodded and tried again. This time he managed a good ten feet before Lucy stalled. He smiled, then wrinkled his nose. "She went farther, but what is that smell?"
Memphis laughed. "Breaking in the clutch. You're making it work." He looked over, realizing that Travis was a bit worried now. "It's normal. It's a wear and tear item. You can help fix it if you break it."
Travis rolled his eyes at Memphis. "Yeah. Like they have a clutch assembly for this thing? It's brand freakin new." He restarted the car and concentrated again at putting it in gear. Lucy started and rolled forward gently until they were halfway across the lot.
Memphis grinned. "There ya got that one down. How about shifting gears?"
The engine wound out as Travis drove along. "How do I do that?"
Memphis laughed. He wouldn't have ever been a good driving instructor. "Ease off the gas and push in the clutch then move the shifter down and let off the clutch again."
Travis was starting to think it might be easier to take the drivers ed car for his road test himself as he tried to shift gears. Lucy made a high whirring noise then a grinding one. The whirring noise lessened as second gear engaged and Travis returned his hand to the wheel.
Memphis shook his head. Next week he'd be on the phone to see what he could find in the lines of clutch parts. Not that Travis learning was doing any damage. It actually helped. "That's good. You know that since Lucy is a standard they're going to criticize your hand placement, right?"
Travis nodded. "Yeah. John took his road test in a standard. He said the guy griped if it took him too long to put his hand back on the wheel."
Memphis was glad to see his brother had at least been a bit prepared, doing some sort of research even if it was just paying attention to another kid that had gone through the road test. "You know you've gotta do those K turn things and parallel parking too right?"
Travis nodded. "Practiced them already in drivers ed. Can do them there, piece of cake."
He pulled forward and stopped, attempting to demonstrate, and Lucy stalled. Travis groaned. "I take it the clutch is an important pedal?"
Memphis laughed again and nodded. "The clutch is like a second brake. You need it to change gears with so any time you touch the shifter it better be down. What were you trying to do anyway?"
Travis shrugged as he started the car again. "Show you I know how to do that stuff. Where's reverse?"
Memphis put his hand over Travis's on the shifter. "It's easier once you have the pattern memorized. This one's a standard H but the gears are close." He looked at the floorboard. Travis had the clutch pressed down. Memphis moved the shifter into reverse. "All the way over, all the way down."
Having Memphis's hand on his weirded Travis out. It was all fine and dandy for instruction and all, but the verbal explanation was fine too. "Thanks..." He said, pulling his hand off the shifter and checking in his mirrors.
Memphis checked in his own mirror to see, then realized Travis was headed straight for a light pole. "Hey no beating Lucy against the poles."
Travis laughed as he stopped and turned the car around. Now he was aiming to parallel park between the cones Memphis had set up. He managed to do so, on the outer two cones.
Memphis opened his door. Sure, Travis was between the cones and parked neatly, but he was a good two feet from the imaginary curb. "Park like that downtown and you're gonna owe me a new car, bro."
Travis tried another four or five times before he was in good range of the imaginary curb. "I don't actually need to parallel park anywhere except this road test thing right?"
Memphis shook his head. "Not if you don't wanna. How about I get those picked up and we can see how you do in traffic."
Travis beamed enthusiastically and Memphis was glad he'd signed up to bring beer. He could pilfer a couple later and nobody would even notice...