Мария Михеева (Upper-intermediate)

30,000 rubles for a bag of potatoes?! (Short story, 2011)

My mom has always wanted to have a car and to be a good driver and one day her dream became a reality. But it wasn’t as she imagined.

She didn't have the opportunity to learn to drive and always thought that she would never be able to do this well. However, she started to learn last year. Mother tried to do everything according to the rules, but practical training was difficult for her.

Her instructor was awful, she said. He was rude, and didn't explain many things even if you asked about something that you couldn’t understand. Unfortunately, she couldn't change him. My brother sometimes gave her lessons, but I think he wasn’t a good teacher too. Mom failed an exam the first time. And second time. And third time. In the end she passed. She was really happy and decided to take individual lessons. I don't remember how much money she paid, but it was quite a big amount of money. Unfortunately, it didn't help her. I think my mother's main mistake was that when she drove a car she was afraid of the road and other cars. But it was her dream. I tried to support my mom and she didn't give up. But one day everything changed.

My mother, father and brother went to the market for potatoes for the winter. When they were returning my brother allowed her to drive a car near our home. At first everything went smoothly, but then in front of our car there was another one. The driver was a woman too. According to the rules, my mother had to give way to her, but she decided to overtake on the left side. As a result my mom ran into her new brilliant car and scratched left side. It was a terribly loud sound. Mom said that it was a horrible grating. Of course, the woman began to shout and threaten and said that she would call the police. My brother tried to negotiate but the woman was furious. The fact was that my mom made a blunder and had left home her driving license and if the police had arrived, mom would have been deprived of her driving license. The woman made it a condition: either they paid her 30,000 rubles or she would call the police. Of course they decided to pay. Dad went home for the money. When he came I asked: "What happened?" "Nothing special, - he said- simply mom took a driver's seat."

When they came back home father said that it was the most expensive bag of potato in his life. After that mom never drove a car but she is sure that when she buys her own one she’ll make it hot!

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