Saturday, July 1, 2017

Tempus fugit


Being a teen is complicated these days, and for grandmas, too. Laura got her temporary permit not two weeks ago, and I went online to sign her up for the driver school just down the road. Nina sent her granddaughters there, and OK with me. It was nine hundred dollars for the course, and I began putting in the information.

At the end, when the credit card info went in, the program balked. “Turn off pop up blocker,” it said. I worked down to the pop up blocker, which is on, and that square of information said, basically, if I turned it off, my computer would be flooded with cookies with worms.

I called the company and asked why, since they had such a fine reputation, did they require closing the pop up blocker. “We just do it that way. What browser do you have? I’ll help you turn yours off.” I turned her down, and opted for the school a mile further away. It’s four hundred dollars cheaper, but driving lessons are scheduled separately, so it may be the same in the end. I signed her up for Saturdays, and her July weekends are no longer her own.

Driving Laura to class this morning, I mused aloud that I wondered how much teaching had changed. I could still hear my driver’s ed teacher and turning corners. “Hand over hand, slide through and accelerate.” She joined me, literally on the first word.

“How do you know that?” I demanded.

“I read,” said she.

“You’re going up a hill,” I threw out. “Accelerate. Accelerate. You’re going up a hill!”

Laura does read, voraciously. She reads her telephone. She reads Mr. Google’s recopies for every bite of food that passes our lips. She studied for the temporary test from an app she downloaded. Who am I to question?

I turned her in to the instructor, and left her in a full class of kids. As I walked away, I realized I hadn’t even wished her luck. I turned back, and caught Laura's eye, amidst a sea of faces and back sacks of lunches and pens. That big smile crossed her face. I gave her a thumbs up, and her boat left the dock. 

26 comments:

  1. What a sweet last image of Laura
    I still remember my misplaced pride in having perfect night vision when tested. And I took the driver's ed class for standard cars, figuring that way I'd be able to drive anything.

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  2. At least you ended up with a cheaper alternative. All the best to Laura. Greetings and happy July!

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  3. Hari Om
    Oh my word... Steady as you go Laura!!! I know that smile. It radiates!!! Hugs to you Gran, for being her 'driver' to this now... YAM xx

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  4. anytime a website wants me to turn off pop-up blocker or ad-blocker, I exit the site. screw them. I taught the twins how to drive out here in the country, giving them instructions on who has right of way under any circumstances, something that through observation of other drivers I have often wondered if they even teach that anymore. yay Laura. the girl won't need luck. she's got you.

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    1. I'm full of the laws I know are unknown. The driver backing out of anything has the right of way. Now Laura is as apt to yell "He has the right of way, you fool!" as me.

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  5. I suspect she is going to do fine.

    Good choice not turning off pop-up blocker and receiving all those cookies...not sure what they are, but don't sound good.

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  6. Wow, how expensive, but her insurance will be less by taking the course. I know she'll be careful. My oldest daughter totaled my Honda Accord the day after she got her license. Oh, those days. She still has wrecks regularly. If someone told me to turn off cookies, I wouldn't do it either.

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    1. My brother and sister taught both daughters to drive. I actually got in the back seat and put a bag over my head at one point. I did teach both of them to parallel park, though. Flawlessly.

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  7. Oh those heady days of learning to drive - a lifetime ago for me. The mantra which was drilled into my head and one which is still follow was - mirror, signal, manouvre.

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  8. I think I had driver training in high school for free, geez. Or my parents taught me. I guess I'm lucky I don't have any children; I wouldn't be able to afford them; our booth neighbor today had two small children and one of them about 10 said my cell phone went out, hum, we gave up ours and only have a flip phone.

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  9. Your last paragraph almost made me cry. How lucky you both are to have each other.

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  10. I learned from my mother from a young age who instilled in us exactly what she was doing and why. We either listened or we didn't but we all did. I still quote from her to whoever is listening or just to myself across the steering wheel.

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  11. What a great story! I took driver's ed way back when it was still taught in high school. But it was my older sister who taught me to drive and was willing to let me take the wheel without cringing. I failed my first driving test, couldn't parallel park. Didn't take another one till I was married, living in Colorado and didn't have to parallel park to pass. Still can't back up worth a damn either.

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  12. I can just see Laura's smile. And am echoing it from here.

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  13. Lovely, and filled with love.

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  14. I love reading about you and your grandchildren, Joanne. They keep you going strong!

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  15. They do grow up fast good luck with the driving.
    Merle..........

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  16. Nine hundred bucks? I think it was about $150 when my kids took the classes. I never turn off my ad blockers or anything else that protects my computer. You've made me so happy because I can picture Laura in the class, now a responsible young lady because of her grandmother's loving care.

    Love,
    Janie

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  17. Nine hundred dollars sounds like a lot of money. I'm glad you found something cheaper. My boys got a few driving lessons from a professional, but got the rest from their parents. After they were fairly proficient We'd take a road trip and I'd turn the wheel over to them once we got out of the metropolitan area. I think that went a far way in boosting their confidence and skill.

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  18. I love the way you question various companies and political entities. You are my hero.

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  19. It's great that she reads and is so well informed. Good Luck Laura :)

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  20. I remember the good old days when driving was taught in high school. I remember having 6 weeks of it; in the simulator and then the open road. I'm sure Laura will do great with it!

    betty

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  21. My father taught me to drive. Might have taken a few years off his life.

    Good luck, Laura! And Joanne - your final paragraph is lovely.

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  22. It's been so long since I learned to drive. I remember the instructor's face. He looked so surprised that I'd passed. But I'm glad that I did.

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  23. Right of way - it's on my list of pet peeves. There is an intersection (think rural, but "busy" ) that is a normal 2-way stop intersection. It has a bit of a curve to it, but other than that it is a normal regular intersection. People around here keep treating it like a four-way stop, or if they don't know what to do, they wave you through, even though they have the right of way. It drove me so nuts, I stopped taking that route to work. Anyway... good luck to Laura - she seems such a common sense kid, she'll no doubt do wonderfully. -Jenn

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  24. WOW! And I've been complaining about $145. for driver's education!

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