"Bumper Cars."

"Bumper Cars."

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

The whole point of bumper cars is in the name itself. Bump each other and laugh to your hearts content. At least that is what I thought it was and I still do. 

Except I saw this one guy who drove his cart like he had no joy in the world. Not a smile cracking on his face as he navigated through everyone. He would voluntarily swerve away from hitting others and even when was able pass safely away his face was impassive. Not a single smile or a single peep out of him with the exception of when he was seemingly scolded his friend to turn the car and drive.

That is no way to drive a bumper car. I think the guy would have enjoyed another ride. Then again he might be one of those iceberg types who do not reveal much of how he feels on his face and maybe his own version of bumper cars is the perverse pleasure of not hitting or being hit by someone.

I don't think I can do that. My personality normally needs to be tempered. I have to look serious. I have to be respectable and all that. When I get into one of these carts I know that I can hit people as hard as I can and they would be laughing hard with me when I do. I can drive as recklessly as I can but then again if I don't put just a little control I won't hit anyone as hard so therein lies the irony. I have to be in control to lose control.

It is always a very relaxing experience for me as I plow through the other carts or back into other people. It seems like my perverse fantasy to do so. No one gets hurt and everyone has a great time. The 5 minutes or so just seem to pass us by and we find ourselves going for another round.

Some people blow off steam by shooting things. I do the same by crashing into other people.