I lived in Tula until ’85. It was a workers’ colony in front of the Miguel Hidalgo Refinery. Not the safest of places, I know, but what can ya do? I have fond memories of the place and I clearly remember a straight lane from one of the refinery’s corners to the access gate to the colony. Every time my grandparents drove from Tampico on their old rickety Renault 18, I would spy from the chicken wire fence and wait for their cars.

One night, probably around 9 pm or so, I was coming back with my dad on his work truck. He stopped the car and told me to sit on his lap. He worked the pedals and I “drove”, with his hands safely on the steering wheel, just in case I wanted to go Mr. Toad’s wildride on the poor old truck. It was my first time “driving”.

When I was 13, my dad suggested I learn to drive, but I wasn’t tall enough to reach the pedals. So we waited and it wasn’t until the summer of ’96 that he suggested going to driving school. Might as well. I was taking a few summer classes in the mornings so I had plenty of free time in the afternoons. It was an old school with yellowish mosaics everywhere, just a few blocks from my house. The instructional videos are exactly as you imagine: old half-burnt reels from the late 60s, early 70s, with ominous narration and dramatic music. It was a gas.

I passed my exam and barring a few panic attacks with the gearbox and clutch management, I did alright. My dad offered to lend me his car a few times for dates, but I declined. I felt I had to practice more. And that I did. I still don’t like automatic cars, I much prefer manual cars. Sure, the clutch can be a motherfucker on hills, but I just prefer having more control over the car.

Back to summer of ’96, MTV Latino still had great hits and Geggy Tah’s chilled out Whoever you are resonated with those instructional videos we had to endure at driving school. The fact it feels very “California-vibed” made it perfect for my silly mind.

So, drive courteously and let someone pass. And use your damn turn signals, dagnabbit!

-Sam J. Valdés López