Everything in life is somewhere else,and you get there in a car.
E.B. White
Nothing much ever rattled Dad, but teaching me to drive sure shook him up a bit. He taught all of us (and I think Mom as well) but I won't speak for the others. I, however, cause him to actually raise his voice and say, "Damn it, watch out for the tree!" I didn't hit the tree.
One of my favorite memories is of my honest and law-abiding father taking me out to practice parallel parking the night before my road test. He had me drive up to the test site, which had me all kinds of nervous. One of the DMV rules was that at no time was a person with a learner's permit allowed in the testing area. I was convinced I would go to jail if we got caught; Daddy was completely unconcerned. He had me make a right turn onto Smith Street, and park behind a red car that was right in front of my grandmother's apartment house. I parked. And parked. And parked some more. He had me park in the same spot over and over and over. Honestly, I was ready to rip the hair out my head by the time he finally decided that I could safely and successfully park.
The next morning found us parked and waiting on line at the test site. I was so nervous! Dad of course was his usual calm self. Well, it finally my turn, and the first task the tester asked me to do was to make a right turn onto Smith Street, and park behind the red car!
Life is good sometimes.
Nothing much ever rattled Dad, but teaching me to drive sure shook him up a bit. He taught all of us (and I think Mom as well) but I won't speak for the others. I, however, cause him to actually raise his voice and say, "Damn it, watch out for the tree!" I didn't hit the tree.
One of my favorite memories is of my honest and law-abiding father taking me out to practice parallel parking the night before my road test. He had me drive up to the test site, which had me all kinds of nervous. One of the DMV rules was that at no time was a person with a learner's permit allowed in the testing area. I was convinced I would go to jail if we got caught; Daddy was completely unconcerned. He had me make a right turn onto Smith Street, and park behind a red car that was right in front of my grandmother's apartment house. I parked. And parked. And parked some more. He had me park in the same spot over and over and over. Honestly, I was ready to rip the hair out my head by the time he finally decided that I could safely and successfully park.
The next morning found us parked and waiting on line at the test site. I was so nervous! Dad of course was his usual calm self. Well, it finally my turn, and the first task the tester asked me to do was to make a right turn onto Smith Street, and park behind the red car!
Life is good sometimes.
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