Danny - Stick it to Me (6)

Danny - Stick It to Me

I'm not talking about retreating no sir
Gonna take our stand in this chevy van
Windows open on the rest of the world
Holding hands all the way to dixie land
We've been trying to turn our lives around
Since we were little kids
It's been wearing us down
Don't turn away now darling
Lets fire it up and wind it out

Come on baby drive south
With the one you love
Come on baby drive south
                                                                 --Suzy Boggus (Drive South)

After dating for a month, Danny made the suggestion that Violet should learn how to drive a car with a manual transmission.  She had protested and put him off for a couple of months, citing the cold weather, ice and snow as viable obstacles.  Danny kept at her, chipping away at her excuses and weakening her resolve.  When a wam spell came around in March, she was finally ready to give in and agreed to a lesson after school one day.  Danny and Erin met her at the community college after her last class and drove the Rabbit out to the edge of the overflow parking lot since it was always empty at this time in the afternoon.  Violet had not been easy to teach, but Danny knew she was just about to figure it out.

"Okay. One more time and I think you've got it. Remember, clutch in means gas is off. It's like walking. If your left foot is on the pedal, then you right foot is in the air, and vice versa." Daniel reached over and put his hand on top of Violet's, resting on the gear shift. "I know you can do it." He smiled at her; she gave him a withered smirk and an eye roll for good measure.

"Daniel, I'm not so sure this was a good idea. I'm perfectly content to drive an automatic. Driving really shouldn't be this much work."

"Yeah, she's just a girl, Danny." Erin chimed in from the backseat. "I should have taken your bet. I knew she was going to give up. A couple of White Castle burgers sounds really good about now, but at the rate she's going, I'm going to die of starvation for sure."

Violet stared up into the rear view mirror. "Shut your pie hole, Slick! You can always go sit on the curb so I can leave you here."

Erin let out a chuckle and slapped his knee. "No way! Torturing you is too much fun. I wouldn't have wanted to miss this. Come on, Vi, give it another try."

Violet whipped her head around and focused her glare on Erin. "I'm only going to say this once. My name is Violet. Six letters, not two. I will not respond to anyone who calls me Vi. Are we clear?"

Erin raised his hands up in the air in mock horror. "Yes ma'am! I surrender!" He laughed. "You've got yourself a real handful here Danny."

Daniel let a grin slowly spread across his face. "Yes, I know. It's totally worth it." He placed his hand on Violet's knee. "Now, give it another try so the caveman in the backseat doesn't expire before his next trip to White Castle. Maybe he can keep his trap shut until then, but I have my doubts."

Violet closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She pushed the gear shift into first and slowly let out the clutch. The car started to buck. "Give it some gas." Daniel prompted. She stepped down on the pedal a little too firmly and the car lurched forward in the empty parking lot. "Okay, now just get your momentum going and shift to second. You can hear it in the engine. The car will tell you when you need to shift. Hear it whining? That means you need to change gears." The whine continued to rise. "Now would be good, Violet." She let off of the gas, pushed in the clutch, and shifted into second gear smoothly. "See? Now you've got it. You just repeat that process over and over. You're driving Violet! You're doing it!"

“I did it!  I did it!  It didn’t stall!”  Violet grinned in spite of herself.  “Can I drive to White Castle?  I think I can do it.”  She glanced at Daniel as she shifted into third. 

“If you think you can do it, I’m all for it.  Show me the way!  Hey Erin, you still back there?”

Erin gripped his seatbelt with both hands and feigned shock.  “I guess I can brave it if you can.”

“Okay Violet, let’s put you to the real test.  White Castle, here we come.”

They made it to White Castle without rolling back and hitting anyone, or stalling out on the takeoff, which made Danny impressed.  They all laughed and carried on over their burgers and fries, and then headed back to the car.  Danny was prepared to drive, but Violet tapped him on the shoulder.

"I'll take those," she said and held out her hand for the keys.

"Really?  Sure!"  Danny grinned and dropped them into her waiting hand.

"Now I'm going to lose my lunch for sure.  Thanks Danny!"  Erin feigned stomach pains and doubled over next to the car.

"Oh good grief!"  Violet gasped.  "You're a certifiable comedian!  Now get in the car, hot shot."

They all piled into the car and Violet fired up the engine.  She glared into the rear view mirror.  "Make sure your seatbelt is buckled.  It's going to be a bumpy ride."  She gunned the engine and peeled out of the parking lot, leaving a trail of rubber behind them.  She wasn't kidding!