1A English Ms. Moore 06 December 2007 (original 10-5-07) Final essay Every teenager dreams about the day he or she can finally get into a car and disconnect from their parent's watchful eyes. They hope for the day to come when they no longer need to call their parents in order to get a ride to go somewhere with their friends. Although we have to wait till we're sixteen, some of us let our curiosity get the best of us. When I got into the car, I thought it was just going to be another short routine joy ride. By the end of that day, it became the day that haunts me as the most regrettable moment in my life thus far. After college, my cousin went to China periodically to work for my uncle. During that time he would leave his fancied up Acura TSX at our house so someone could look after it. I remember coming home from school and hopping into the car just to feel how nice it was. I used to dream about someday driving a car like that. Then one day, during the middle of September when school got out, my mom told me that she would be coming home late from work that night. That instant I knew that it was my chance to take the car out for a ride. As I walked into the garage I felt butterflies creeping up my stomach and a epic battle in my head debating whether I should go along with this plan. My hands began to sweat as my conscience kept telling me "this is wrong, this is not you." Unfortunately for me, my heart did not listen and before I realized it I had gotten into the car and started the engine.
As the engine ignited I felt excited about finally driving a car. I touched the soft black leather on the steering wheel and took a deep breath as if absorbing this moment into me. I was so eager to get on to the streets even though I knew that it was illegal because I didn't have a license. When I hit the car into reverse and began to release the break, the car crept slowly backwards out of the garage. That moment, I knew it was too late to turn back. I knew that this was my first defiant action and if I was going to do it I might as well enjoy myself. It started with driving five miles per hour down the street to the dead end, then making U-turn and going back around. I kept this cycle going for a while and each time I did it, I felt more and more anxious. Slowly but steadily I turned around and went further down the other end of the road. I kept going back and forth and back and forth, each time driving faster and faster and faster. Each time I made another run, I got more and more eager to do it again. I felt that nothing or no one was going to stop me because it was on a quiet residential street. After awhile, I realized that my mom might come home at any time, I wanted to wrap things up with a bang. My ego of invincibility got to my head and I attempted to do something that one only sees in an action movie. I was going to test the limits of the car and floor the pedal till the end of the street. I lined myself up to the edge of the street and made sure that all the cars were out of the way. I told myself that after this stunt I would stop and that would be it... for today. the With engine roaring to begin its run, I sat there no longer debating whether I made the right choice or not. I stepped on the pedal and began to accelerate. Before I knew it I had already slammed down the pedal to its limit. I saw the speedometer skyrocket as the turbo
charger in the car kicked in. The speedometer went higher and higher, from forty to fifty to sixty and then it started to creep up to seventy when it happened. Out of nowhere, a kid, not much younger than me, appeared out of nowhere from the side of the road. He had just come home from school and decided to skip the cross walk and jay-walk in the middle of the road. I knew I was going way too fast to stop in time and that the only choice I had was to dodge him completely. I instantly forced the steering wheel to the left and then to the right, slamming on the breaks hoping that I would avoid a catastrophe. As I drifted sideways it felt like a scene from "The Fast and the Furious" as I felt my life, and everything around me freeze and pass itself in slow motion. For a moment, both the kid and I were face to face and all I could think of was in my selfish action... I might kill this innocent kid. When the car came to a screeching halt, I found myself traumatized from fear of what I could've done. I was twitching, trembling, and drenched in sweat as I sat there staring at my hand thinking about what had gotten over me that would lead me to such a horrendous deed. When I regained part of my composure, I quickly exited the car to check on the little kid whose dreams and future I could've put a quick stop to. I got out of the car screaming, "Kid are you ok?" When I got to him to help him up, he replied, "yea I'm fine but that was awesome." I was astonished to find this kid who had nearly lost his life so amazed by the stunt that I had just pulled. I continued apologizing for my poor judgment but he just simply forgave me as if it was nothing special. At that moment I was glad that there was a fiber in my body that had the will and the power to save this kid's life.
Of course, being myself, I could never let go of a terrible deed that I had done. I instantly told my mom about what had happened and how much guilt and despair I had felt from this ordeal. I expected for my mom to be furious but my mom only gave me this slight look of disappointment. After a long pause she followed with a long "sigh," saying "you were bound to make a stupid and reckless mistake eventually so I guess this is just part of growing up. Just be glad you didn't hurt anyone" She also understood well that I've probably punished myself enough mentally from this tragic event. I was never physically punished for it but it did affect the development of my life. I went back to my usual obedient self, listening to what my elders told me to do. But most importantly, I gained a new dream in life. I no longer use materialistic objects like a car as a measurement of what my future will be like. Instead, I have learned to find satisfaction in being able to influence the lives of the people around me.