Story and pictures by Marco Ferrarese.
When you have been living far apart from your parents for a long time, you acquire your own habits. And when they come to visit, playing host to and going on a road trip together with them can be a meaningful, albeit exhausting experience.
“Are you sure that you are comfortable driving like that?”
“Yes, dad.”
“Because you know, you shouldn’t stay so close to the steering wheel. You should give space, extend your arms. See? You can’t.”
I don’t know about you, but when I am trying to drive and concentrate on the road ahead of me, and I have someone sitting in the passenger seat schooling me on my driving, my first impulse is to elbow them straight in the ribs, hear the sound of whistling breath as it falls back into their throats and then say, “Oh I am SO sorry. My arm snapped over the clutch… are you hurt?”
Unfortunately, you can’t do that to your family, but it’s okay to admit that we have all thought about doing it at least once – don’t say no because it wouldn’t be credible.
