Friday, July 27, 2007

Driving Miss Emily

Dawn broke cloudy and cool. A pleasant change from the oppressing heat of the past few days...but was this a sign? If so, what did the sign mean....cloudy is maybe not a good sign....not oppressively hot could be a good sign?????

Today was the day that The Emmer was going to attempt her driving test for the third time. Signs could be an important thing on this important day! Was it a sign? What did it mean?

The Emmer has the skills to drive. She understands the rules of the road. She is however, terrible at tests. Once her confidence is shaken, she crumbles. She knows this and understands this but hasn't been able to shake this trait. Can she hold it together enough today to pass the driving test? If she can't she has to start all over again and do both the wri
tten and the driving test. We...The Emmer, The Bride and myself, "his-self", have been working at this for almost eight years now.

Dang it, I want it to be a good sign. I want The Emmer to have her driving license. I want her to have the freedom that having a driver's license gives.

We leave the house at about 9am with The Emmer driving, towards the licensing office. The Emmer is asking a few road rules questions just to be sure everything is clear. She is nervous. Anyone can tell she is nervous. The closer we get to the licensing office the more erratic her driving becomes.

I'm doing everything in my power to calm her down. She can do this thing I say. They are not out to trick you or make it hard for you. All you have to do is stay calm. When the tester tells you to do something, repeat it in your mind first. If you don't understand ask her to repeat it. It will take 20 minutes...max...You've done a lot harder things for a lot longer. You can do this thing!

State Driver's Licensing Offices are not pleasant places. They are not designed to calm anyone down. I must not understand the system. There must be an office where the "regular" people go because this one seems to be reserved for the dregs of society. I don't see one normal person here......Calm down I tell myself, you'll spook The Emmer.

After an interminable wait, it's The Emmer's turn. I walk away. I have no more influence. It's out of my hands now.....Hang in there Emmer...You can do this thing!

I have been in very serious situations where time seemed to slow to a crawl. Strangely, this was not one of those times. It seemed like The Emmer had just pulled out of the parking lot and was back immediately! The sinking feeling in my gut............oh, that's not good at all.....I couldn't see into the car from where I stood but I imagined The Emmer was crying after all why was it taking so long for them to get out of the car?

Finally, I saw the doors of the car open slowly, The Emmer looked around to find me and when she finally saw me standing half a block away.....smiled and screamed "DAD, I PASSED!". She continued screaming "DAD, I PASSED!" as she ran across the parking lot, past all the retards, low lifes and dregs waiting their turn. She got to me and hugged me tight.....I'm a father and life is good!!!

Congratulations, Emmer!

Thanks for visiting.

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