Monday, July 26, 2010

Spin Cycle: First Time


The very first time I was allowed behind the wheel of a car (with the engine on), I was 16 and staying with my Aunt. Growing up and watching other kids learn to get their driver's license, drove me crazy. My father would try to throw his logic on the situation, by telling me there was no reason for me to have one till I was 18 and no longer living with them. At the time the issue just flared up the usual "I hate you" or "that is not fair" or even "you are just being mean to me" or old faithful "you're ruining my life". My dad waited till he was 40 to get his, sister still doesn't have hers and brother just got his. So I guess it could have been worse!

Soo where was I..
Aunty and I were going down a dirt road from Lancaster, Ca to the next town Rosamond, Ca where she lived. She suddenly stopped right in the middle of the road, she turned and looked at me and said "get over here". We switched places. My first time driving, just the thought of it was thrilling. I slide in under the wheel and I am all smiles. Little did my aunt know that I was smiling cause that is also something I do when I am nervous. I was excited, but scared crazy too!

She drilled me on the things to do, it was an automatic; so that made it a little (I guess) easier. I proceeded to take off and boy did we ever! I hit the gas with a gusto (how was I to know you were supposed to go gently), I slammed on the brakes (as soon as I found them). We were off again but this time I was crawling, scared to give too much gas. Now in all of this, I was trying extremely hard to keep it on the little dirt road. There was ditches on both sides that aunty was screaming about. To tell you the truth I can't remember all that aunty screamed about in that short ten minutes (that might be a stretch of the time).

Lets just say it was over almost as soon as it started. I do recall another car coming at us and aunty was yelling something and I panicked. We switched places super fast and we lived to see another day! I scared aunty and myself, so bad that we were shaking all the way home. Honestly I don't think aunty ever did stop shaking! I bet every time she recalls it, she was nightmares for a week (or more)!

I didn't get behind the wheel of a car for at least another year, I was traumatized!! I eventually did get my license nearly two years later. I bet aunty would have never imagined in that moment, that I was going to end up a truck driver!

Love you, Aunty!!


For more spins, go visit Sprite's Keeper

Sigature,Heather

19 comments:

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

Sitting for the first time behind the wheels is of so much fun. I was really thrilled when I sat for the first time with my dad next to me and whispering God's name

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Sprite's Keeper said... [Reply to comment]

Heh heh, I still have memories of my dad pressing the imaginary brake when he taught me how to drive. :-)
You're linked!

SuziCate said... [Reply to comment]

Great and funny story! Practice makes perfect, huh?!!

rockygrace said... [Reply to comment]

Oh, boy, I couldn't WAIT to learn how to drive! And the very first time my mom took me out, I drove straight through a 4-way stop. Oops.

Lucy said... [Reply to comment]

I nearly had a heart attack when Joe was teaching my daughter to drive and I was along for the ride. The brake on the passenger side don't work worth a darn.

Jimmy said... [Reply to comment]

Learned the art of the gas pedal quickly I see Ha Ha, Great Post Heather.

Jen said... [Reply to comment]

I didn't drive until my driver's ed class and I was the only one who didn't know how. It was awful. Your auntie was one brave woman.

Angelia Sims said... [Reply to comment]

Nothing worse than ditches on both sides!! Scary!!

I would have been traumatized too!! Lol. Glad you finally learned. I'm sure she didn't see being a truck driver down the road for you either. :-) Great story!!

kathryn said... [Reply to comment]

Oh, hilarious! It's such a scary feeling when someone else is driving and there's NOTHING you can do but watch...and SCREAM!!

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

@Mike LOL!! I'm sure my aunty did say some kind of prayer!

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

@Sprite's Keeper If only there really were an imaginary brake! I have tried many times to use it but it never works.

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

@SuziCate Thanks! I guess it really does, well at least in this subject. LOL!

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

@rockygrace Oops indeed! I bet you really scared her!

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

@Lucy I would have been yelling to let me out!! LOL!

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

@Jimmy Yes I did, trickly little bugger! Thanks.

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

@Jen I wanted to take driver's ed , but..

1) it costed money, that I knew we would never have.
2) I dropped out of school the year before it was available to me.

I would have been one of the kids who nothing also.

Yes aunty has guts!

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

@Angelia Sims Yes very scary! I really was scared to get behind the wheel for a good long while. I'm sure aunty wasn't thinking that I knew NOTHING about driving.
Thanks!

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

@kathryn Thanks! LOL! I actually had that experience when I let my teenaged brother drive once. I screamed! LOL!

VandyJ said... [Reply to comment]

I got to learn in a 1972 VW Van. Stick shift and everything. Not so easy, but I did learn. Great spin!