There are times when I really miss having a man in the house…this would be one of them.

         I knew that this day was coming. Every kid has to learn to drive. It is expected that parents will step up and take on this job because, after all, it is part and parcel of the parental experience.

         What nobody tells you is how this will shake you up, frighten you, cause you to question exactly how high your blood pressure can rise before you have a stroke, and make you re-examine every reason you had for procreating in the first place.

          Dear Jon is excited…Dear Mom is terrified.

         In spite of my deep-seated reservations regarding my ability to handle this task, I am teaching him to drive. For his part, he has resigned himself to my running commentary and ‘helpful hints’. For my part, I try to keep my mouth shut and let him get a feel for the task at hand.

         This morning was his first time on an interstate. We deliberately chose an early sunday because traffic is fairly light and I’d like him to become accustomed to the faster pace before he has to deal with other traffic.  We planned this, so I can only assume that it was some divine joke on a cosmic level that brought the rain. It hasn’t rained much at all this summer….but it picked the one day when we’d planned this lesson.

          In an attempt to display the confidence that went no deeper than my skin, I shrugged my shoulders in resignation and announced that the lesson would proceed as planned. I made a lame attempt to convince myself that this was the correct decision by rationalizing that he had to learn how to drive in the rain at some point, so today was as good of a time as any. Pushing aside my nerves, I took my place in the passenger seat,  walked him through the controls for the wipers and lights, and tried not to grit my teeth when he pulled out of the driveway. I fought back that niggling little headache right above my eyes as I reminded him to take it a bit more slowly because even new tires don’t grab as well when the pavement is wet.

          All in all, he did well.  I only wish that I could say the same for me. The view from the passenger seat was not only different…it was terrifying. I think that I was able to hide it fairly well since he didn’t comment on it…yet. I managed to get through the experience without digging my nails into the seat or using my imaginary brake. I think the chain-smoking helped. It’s always easier to look calm and collected when you aren’t chewing your fingers down to the knuckle…and having a ciggy in hand helps with that.

          True, he spun just a bit while turning into the hospital because he accelerated too fast on the wet pavement…but we got there in one piece. Besides, the look on his face was worth it. He was so proud of himself and couldn’t wait to tell his friends that he’d driven all the way to work in the rain. I couldn’t hold back a grin as I reminded him that he’d not only driven all the way to work in the rain…but he’d done it on the interstate.

         As we traded places at the front door to the hospital, I couldn’t help but notice that my legs seemed to be having difficulty coordinating themselves for the brief walk around the car to take over the driver’s seat. Surely they were only experiencing a momentary problem because they were unused to riding on the passenger side. That had to be it.

         So, he did it….drove all the way to work….on the interstate….in the rain…for the first time.

          ….and now I need a nap.

arkmomy