h, childhood — the time when your brain operates like a conspiracy theorist, convinced that the world revolves around the bubble you’ve crafted in your head. It’s a cozy cocoon for the first 14 years of your life, one necessary for your growth.

Why 14, you ask? Buckle up; we’re getting there.

As a kid, there was one adult privilege that fascinated me the most: driving. The ability of grown-ups to casually cruise wherever they pleased was a dream. Did they go to carnivals whenever they wanted? Hit the arcade on a whim? Or, perhaps, indulge in some cotton candy every time they jingled the keys? The possibilities seemed endless.

Fast forward to my teenage years, where my driving initiation began with lessons from my parents. The momentous occasion arrived when, at the ripe age of 14, I was bestowed with the keys to my dad’s Suzuki Fx (now unofficially mine). It felt like emerging from a cocoon, transforming into a butterfly with a four-wheel chariot of freedom. Sure, there were territorial restrictions (inside the gated community, mind you), but the open road beckoned, and I was ready to conquer it.

For us car-crazy boys, cars are not just vehicles; they’re our golden tickets to freedom. Distances to friends, cousins, and family suddenly became mere decisions: “Do I feel like going there?” — at least, within city limits.

It felt like emerging from a cocoon, transforming into a butterfly with a four-wheel chariot of freedom. Sure, there were territorial restrictions (inside the gated community, mind you), but the open road beckoned, and I was ready to conquer it.

Humans, especially the testosterone-fuelled subset, have this innate “need for speed.” It’s the driving force behind our quest for faster, sleeker automobiles. This insatiable need birthed cars and even took us to the skies with the Concorde — a supersonic jet that could zip over the Pacific at twice the speed of sound, effectively slashing travel times to half.

Sure, they grounded the Concorde, but fear not. NASA is cooking up a new sonic-speed bird that’ll soar through the skies. Personally, I’m thrilled about the prospect of humanity travelling through space at breakneck speeds. Why limit ourselves to Earth when there are entire galaxies begging to be explored?

Flash-forward 17 years into my driving saga, and I confess — I still engage in fierce battles with my brother over the coveted driver’s seat whenever we share a car. The passion for driving hasn’t waned; it’s only intensified. So, here’s to the endless road trips; the cotton candy pit stops; and the perpetual battle for control of the steering wheel. Who said growing up meant growing tired of your childhood dreams?

The writer is an ex-serviceman and a freelancer. He can be reached at shaafayzia@gmail.com