Chapter 6 

	Helen asked Angela, "Did you have any particular place 
in mind for test driving?" 
	As Angela hesitated, Victor clasped his hands together 
to begin the sign language for 'school'. "Why don't you practice 
at the abandoned military school." 
	"That's a good idea. Let's go, Angela." Angela picked 
up her round baggy white purse and led Helen out the door to 
Victor's dark green pickup truck. 
	Helen noticed a large cardboard box in the back of the 
truck. "Is it okay if we leave that box in the truck?" 
	"Sure. That's only an empty box Vigor, I mean Victor, 
planned to take to the recycling place later." 
	Angela's face flushed red as she apologized. "I 
sometimes forget and use my pet name for Vigor, . . . oops, 
there. I did it again!" 
	Helen smiled her understanding. "I like it! How did 
you find Victor?" 
	Angela climbed into the cab of Victor's truck. "I 
didn't. He found me. Six years ago, he attended a 
summer engineering music conference in Belgrade, Brazil at the 
hotel where I worked as a maid." 
	Helen interrupted. "Belgrade? I knew about the Belgrade 
in Europe, but I didn't know Brazil had one." 
	Angela paused before replying. "It's not a very old city. 
I think they built it about thirty years ago, maybe around 2060, 
and named it after the European city." 
	Angela continued her story. "Vigor had forgotten some 
important papers in his room and had rushed back to get them. I 
had just finished straightening the blankets on his bed. He 
walked in just as I walked through the door to leave. We ran 
into each other. When he saw me, he stopped just in time, but I 
didn't. Maybe I wanted to run into him." Angela smiled at the 
memory. 
	Helen echoed Angela's smile. As she made herself 
comfortable sitting in front of the inset steering wheel, she 
noticed that the truck had one long couch seat just like the 
newer models had. "Angela, did this couch seat come 
with your truck originally?" 
	"I don't know. We bought it second hand. 
The couch seat and the three seat belts were in it when we 
bought it." 
	Helen acknowledged Angela's answer by nodding her 
head. Then she pointed to the drive buttons on the dashboard. 
"If you wish to go faster, push in the forward button. If you 
want to go just a little bit faster, then just jab it. It you 
want to go a lot faster, hold it in. If you need to slow down, 
push the back button or step on the brake. But be careful with 
the back button. If you use it to slow down by holding it in, 
after you stop, you'll find yourself going in reverse. It's 
better to stop by stepping on the brake. And this red button 
on the left is the off button. Press it after you've parked 
the car to turn off the engine." 
	Helen waited while Angela mentally processed the 
information. "Seems simple enough. Actually Vigor explained 
that part before. He even told me that I could start the engine 
by giving three quick jabs on either button. Also, he told me 
I should never hit the panic button." Angela pointed to a three 
centimeter by three centimeter square set in the middle of the 
dashboard.' Helen frowned slightly as she looked at Angela. 
"Well, if you see yourself about to run into another vehicle, 
you should hit the panic button. It tells the truck's computer 
to take over driving the vehicle. You usually want to do this 
in case of emergency. The computer can decide how much to brake 
or speed up quicker than any person can. After the emergency is 
over, the computer stops the car so that the driver can resume 
control." 
	Angela acknowledged by nodding her head back and forth. 
"But what I need help on most is actually driving." 
	"Yes, of course. Let's go." Helen gave the forward button 
three quick jabs. 
	A computer voice responded. "You are not authorized to 
drive this vehicle." 
	Both Helen and Angela laughed out loud at their 
forgetting about this lock on the truck. Through her laughter 
Angela managed to address the computer. "Attend to me computer 
V S." 
	The truck computer answered. "You have my attention, 
Angela" 
	Angela replied in a formal voice. "Please authorize the 
current driver to drive this vehicle today and all future days." 
	The computer acknowledged. "Authorization is granted." 
	When they arrived at the abandoned school, Helen stopped 
on the side road that ran around the parking lot. Helen opened 
her door,and looking at Angela, moved her hand in a 
counterclockwise motion to signal that they should change places. 
	Angela climbed into the drivers seat. "Now what? what 
should I practice doing?" 
	"Since you know the basics, let's just drive on this 
side road that runs around the parking lot until I tell you to 
stop." 
	"Okay. Remember, you promised to not criticize my 
mistakes." 
	"Of course. I'll merely have you repeat until you get it 
right." Helen smiled to show her friendly intent. 
	Angela pressed the speed forward button on the dashboard,
 "I hope I don't run off the road." 
	Helen looked sharply at Angela. "Angela, please focus 
your complete attention on the road where you want the truck to 
go. This is very important." 
	Angela gave Helen a weak smile. "I'll try." After she'd 
gone half-way around the circle, she turned her head to talk to 
Helen. As she did so, sudden dizziness made her jerk the 
steering wheel. 
	Alarmed, Helen reached out to tap Angela on the Shoulder. 
"Angela, stop!" 
	Angela stepped hard on the brake, and the truck lurched 
to a stop.
	Helen spoke as calmly as she could manage. "You just did 
the first brakes test. Let's see if we can stop more smoothly." 
	Helen got out of the parked truck and removed the large 
empty packing box from the back of the truck. She placed this on 
the ground about a meter off the road. 
	Helen walked over to where Angela still sat in the 
driver's seat. She placed her right hand on Angela's shoulder 
and looked her directly in the eye. "Angela, please don't take 
this as criticism. I want you to stay calm, keep your eye on 
the road, and keep control of the wheel when you have to turn 
your head." 
	Suddenly, Angela felt something flow from Helen's 
fingers. She felt it travel upward from her shoulder into her 
neck, then disappear. Angela felt an amazing calmness. 
"Helen! What did you just do to me? I don't feel nervous 
anymore." 
	Helen stepped backward in surprise. "I didn't do 
anything. But I'm very glad you aren't nervous anymore. Are 
you ready to start again?" 
	At Angela's nod, Helen said, "Drive around the circle. 
When we come back here, stop at the box." 
	The first time Angela stopped at the box with a 
noticeable jerk. Over the successive tries her stops become 
smoother. Finally, Angela said, "I've got it". 
	Helen replied, "Indeed, you do." She smiled at Angela. 
"How come this truck runs so quietly at idle?" 
	"You noticed that?" Angela showed her vicarious pride, 
"Vigor takes very good care of his truck. What do we do next?" 
	"Drive into the parking lot. We'll practice pulling 
into parking spaces." 
	Angela consistently parked over a line, putting half the 
truck in the adjacent parking space. After four such tries, Helen 
decided to try a different approach. "Angela, how are you 
deciding when to turn the wheel?" 
	"I turn the wheel when I see the first boundary line go 
past." 
	"I see. Angela, next time I want you to try this. Pick a 
parking space. Try to see both the first and second boundary 
lines at the same time. Turn the wheel when it will put the truck exactly 
midway between the boundaries. Drive as slowly as you need to do 
this." 
	After ten more tries, Angela felt confident. "Hey, I've 
got it. Thanks Helen. I'll practice driving as much as I can 
this week. Come next week and I'll show you how much better 
I've gotten at driving." 
	"Sure. You can begin your practice by driving back home." 
	Angela began the familiar drive back home. After only a 
few blocks, she saw a man trying to hitch a ride. Her previous 
practice still sharp in her mind, Angela stepped gently on the 
brake pedal. 
	The truck slowed and stopped. 
	Helen lowered her window. "Where are you going?" 
	The man leaned over to peer into the cab. Then he 
straightened up and addressed Helen. "Just throw me  your purse. 
And be quick about it." Seeing a gun in his hand, Helen did not
argue.
	As Angela jabbed the forward button, and held it in, 
Helen heard a silent voice in her mind saying, "It's okay now." 
At the same time the man apparently threw the gun at her. She 
flinched, but the gun had already vanished. 
	"Good going Angela!" Helen looked back toward the man 
as the truck continued to accelerate away. The man just stood 
there staring at the truck. 
	After a few blocks Angela slowed the truck, pulled over 
to the side of the road, and stopped. White-faced, she turned 
toward Helen. "I think I need to lie down for a moment. He might 
have shot us." 
	Helen opened her door as she faced Angela, "slide over 
and lie down while I drive us back." 
	As she walked around the truck to the driver's side, 
she wondered about their escape. It had been impossibly easy. 
	"That's because I took his gun away from him and ate it." 
Helen stopped in mid-stride. Then thinking the silent voice to 
be just her imagination, she resumed walking. 
	"I am real. Think of some tests to prove it to yourself." 
	Helen smiled at this. How sophisticated could her 
imagination get?