PHOTO PROMPT © Kent Bonham
Kent’s photo put me back on that tour bus with Zvi. Normally I eschew Friday Fictioneers sequels or double dipping. With red, although unapologetic, countenance I am doing both this week. 🙄
Genre: Memoir/Anecdote
Word Count: 100
HOW IS MY DRIVING?
A rather shy man, our Israeli bus driver, Gabi had a welcoming smile for everyone. Every day we spoke, he in halting English and I in limited Hebrew.
What a driver! He maneuvered that behemoth through narrow streets I wouldn’t dare attempt to navigate in my Saturn. I was reminded of cartoon car chases where vehicles curved around corners like Gumby.
My seatmate grasped the armrest, her knuckles white. “He must ride a motorcycle.”
“Ahtah rokhev al ofanoah?” I asked him.
His sunny expression gave way to horror. “Lo! Mesukahn! Mesukahn!” He flashed his pocket translator which read, “Dangerous! Perilous!”
****
Aych ahnee noheg? How is my driving?
Gabi
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Shalom – this is great post…well done!!
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Many thanks, Mirhan. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Toda Raba – enjoy your night:)
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Oh, good one! Kept me right to the end 🙂
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Thanks, Linda. Glad you enjoyed. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I would sooner ride my motor bike than drive a behemoth. Loved hearing you reading your story. Hopefully one day i will learn how to post a verbal rendition of one of my stories. Shalom
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Dear Michael,
I won’t drive anything much bigger than a compact car. I have on rare occasions but it wasn’t fun. I’m just getting the hang of this MP3 thing and I had to upgrade my blog to do it. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Of course, don’t forget our other form of transportation, the picture with the caption of — “Move my WHAT?” 😀
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😇
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That was a fun ride… 😉
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Thank you, Dale. I always enjoy taking you or a ride. 😛
Shalom,
רחל
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Ha Ha!!
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😇
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Ha. Great story. Of course, I ride a Harley and would not look forward to driving a bus. Although I came close.
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Dear Jan,
You’re better off on the Harley. 😉
Love,
Rochelle
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I would rather not ride either. This ride through life is perilous enough 😀 Good one, Rochelle.
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Dear Joyful,
The way Gabi maneuvered that bus had us all wondering. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks so much for the recording , Rochelle. Loved it . And thanks for sharing the lovely story .
Regards and best wishes.,.
Moon
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Dear Moon,
I’m glad you enjoyed the recording as well as the story. I’m trying to get used to the sound of my own voice and become comfortable with it. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It’s amazing how we can see so much in someone’s voice – grace, refinement, humility .🙂
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It sounds a little like the rickshaw drivers here. They’re good drivers but somewhat adventuresome in getting you from here to there. Good writing, Rochelle. 😀 — Suzanne
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Dear Suzanne,
I’ve heard this about tour guides and cab drivers all over the world. I remember my life passing before my eyes in a NYC cab, too. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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We have had huge gas-guzzlers for years. We took the kids all over – in Yellowstone – our brand new Chevy Suburban died – it was three days before it was fixed. Wow – we learned a lot about Yellowstone. Good story!
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Dear Nan,
At least it was Yellowstone and not some Podunk town in the desert. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Nice to catch up with Gabi again – I get the feeling he drove round those bends with a big smile on his face!
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Dear Iain,
Actually the last story was about Zvi the guide. Gabi was the quiet man at the wheel. They did work closely and both smiled a lot. 🙂
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Funny, I’m sure Gabi has cropped up in a story before. I must be confusing so many Fictioneers stories!
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No worries, Iain. As long as you enjoyed the story. That’s the important part. 😉
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I love those, “How’s my driving?” stickers. As I age, I find that speed scares me much more than it used to. For some reason, I’m no longer twelve foot tall and bullet proof.
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Dear Speed Racer,
These days when my husband or son says “You drive like an old woman.” I can’t argue. 😉
One of my favorite stickers was one I saw when they first started using them was a very official one that when you looked closely it said, “How’s my driving. Call 1-800-EAT-SHIT”
Thanks for commenting twice. 😉
Shalom,
Octavia
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Shalom, Rochelle
A white-knuckle ride for sure. I know this was a memoir but it had me breathless. What a fantastic anecdotal story. Israel is a world away from were I am at. I am enjoying a taste of Israel in your writings, comment and the the writings and comments of other established and fledgling writers grouped together here and sheltering under your wings.
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Dear Kelvin,
Your comment leaves me breathless. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Love it! I do believe that’s the first time I’ve heard your voice, too! So Cool! I’ve ridden with a few dangerous and perilous drivers before. The scariest was the daily bus ride from the compound down to St. George’s Harbor on Grenada (island). One lane road, three abreast, jungle on one side sheer cliff on the other. You couldn’t be an atheist on that bus, for sure.
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Dear Jelli,
I’ve posted a couple of recordings. One on FF and one on Pegman and then 4 recordings on another blog post. So I’m relatively new at it. With doing radio interviews I’m trying to accustom myself to my own voice.
The scariest ride I’ve had was a taxi in NYC. I’m sure I lost a lot of tooth enamel on that one. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
That’s funny! A case of lost in translation.
I’m a terrible passenger. So much so, that when my husband is driving, he often ends ups saying, “Well, you drive then!” At which point I stop criticising him, as I don’t want to drive. It’s things such as him failing to signal, going really slowly when there’s a queue of traffic behind him but shooting out of turnings too fast, and not thanking someone who has given way to him.
I’ve driven the same small and basic Citreon for the last 20 years but I’m rather attached to it. The largest vehicle I’ve ever driven was a vintage Riley — white with loads of polished chrome and leather seats. It didn’t belong to me, but I was allowed to get behind its wheel on one occasion. Even that seemed like a huge responsibility.
It may not be possible for me to contribute to FF this week, but I’ll see how things go.
All best wishes,
Sarah
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Dear Sarah,
I do a lot of tongue biting, teeth gritting and nail gouging. 😉
I suppose one man’s joy ride is another man’s peril. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
PS I do understand busy.
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Lovely humorous real-life story, and why shouldn’t you post twice? Go girl!
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Dear Liz,
Many thanks. Glad you enjoyed and didn’t mind my double dipping.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Love the Gabi stories! A true character.
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Dear Sascha,
Gabi and Zvi were both characters. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ah, I did wonder if I was combining two different people in my mind because I did remembered Zvi as being more outgoing. But my memory is not always as good as it used to be. 🙂
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Ahhhhhhh ok just reading this was scary! 😁
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Dear Laurie,
It was a memorable ride that I’d repeat in a heartbeat. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A funny reminder that everyone has different definitions of risky behavior!
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Dear Joy,
I still chuckle at the look on Gabi’s face when I asked. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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no history lesson this week :p
I remember when we went away last year, and we hired a car as part of a day trip and the hubby was driving around tight corners, which he loved and I was like we are going to die!!!!
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Dear Claire,
I promise a history lesson next week. I’ve just been in a more reflective mood lately. 😉
I can relate to those drives with hubby. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Funny story. I understand the bus driver’s point of view too well 😉
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Dear Trent,
The way he drove that bus, we were sure he rode a bike. Apparently not the case. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Great post, Rochelle. I think I remember this coach driver appearing in one of your previous posts
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Dear Michael,
I did a post about Zvi, the tour guide a couple of weeks ago. This post is about Gabi, our bus driver. both were memorable characters. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Everyone drives like that over here! 😀
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Dear Dahlia,
I’ll keep that in mind if I should ever make it your direction. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This left me smiling. There’s a lovely lightness of touch in this one.
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Dear Sarah Ann,
A happy memory is attached. I’m glad it made you smile. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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