I drove home slowly last night. Usually when I drive late at night I drive according to my mood, which is usually fairly upbeat because I'm not at work anymore, so that means that I drive fast(ish) with my music loud. For the past week I've been listening to Emma Pollock's Law of Large Numbers when I'm driving both to and from work. The album has now been reduced to just one song, The Child In Me, which is, for now, my favourite. It's also the first song she plays in the video I posted a few days ago. Anyway, I was relaxed last night. Maybe sluggish, slow and definitely more aware of everything around me. Sometimes it's nice to look. Driving the same back and forth journey all week becomes repetitive and blurry. Nothing is ever different, so auto-pilot kicks in. But last night I strolled and watched and went a different way home. Mainly because I needed petrol, which I also took my time over but didn't necessarily enjoy. £32.88. Argh. I wanted to keep driving. I wanted to go down to the river Humber and watch it for a while, but sadly I've heard that it's a bit of a 'hot spot' for various reasons other than midnight river-watching.
I've been driving for almost three years, but I don't think I've ever just gone 'for a drive'.
Last time I did that, I crashed my ass into someother mo'fugga.Probably should've de-misted my windows first though...
ReplyDeleteThe concept of going for a drive is an odd one though isn't it, I love driving home across the city, especially at night, I really do. I'm sad enough to look forward to it even, especially if you can tailor a sumptuous little playlist beforehand. There's some pleasing, almost voyeuristic sense of disconnection there... which admittedly doesn't sound the safest thing in the world, but you know how I mean.
I know exactly what you mean. I love driving through town too, and just watching people.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you go when you just went for a drive? I'd be tempted to go to the sea or somewhere like that. Knowing me, I'd probably end up in Scotland haha. I don't think I'd be able to stop and go back.
Want to go for a drive? Haha.
Occasionally, me and Scott go for midnight drives. It takes about an hour (sometimes more) in total, and we end up in the sticks so to speak, around Hull and Beverley. Places you'd never see otherwise, because they are mainly country roads that only farmers and boy racers and rich people use.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't gone "for a drive" in four months, and when I mentioned this I also decided to tell Scott that although I adore our "for a drive" adventures, I also feel terrified of them, deep down. My crazy mind assumes the worst. One night, we'll unnecessarily go for a drive for no reason whatsoever and something bad will happen. Easily unavoidable if we hadn't been so carefree. It makes me feel like I'm putting us both in a box with a key and saying NEVER DO ANYTHING IN CASE YOU GET HURT!
He said he understood what I was saying.
And then he said he never felt like it was "just a drive" - that when we did it it it was always at a time where, if we had stayed at home surrounded by our essays, and study, and website jargon, and issues with friends and family and ourselves; with daily toils and dirty dishes, we would dislike ourselves, and each other. That going for a drive was a way of cleansing yourself of the the bad stuff and absorbing the good stuff.
He said half of his uni work would never have been completed if he had never gone for a drive - or at least, completed as well as it was. Or that half of my mini rage rants against the world would never have been calmed down - tears abated.
I'm never going to secretly think they're unnecessary ever again :)
Heather, I've only just seen your comment! I should keep track more on here.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean about almost encouraging something bad to happen because if you didn't have the urge to be outside, you would be inside and safe. I'm a bit reluctant to go out driving because I would be on my own and I don't know what I would do if something bad happened. But I always seem to trust the nights more than the days :)