Whoa. Stay off the roads.

Sometimes we sense a thing in foresight that comes to pass in retrospect. If that doesn't sound terribly strange and weird than I think you're strange and weird. But I do have an explanation for all this. Thankee.
I have never truly enjoyed driving. I've never been like, "OOOH YEAH! 16, GONNA GET MY LICENSE!" (Obviously, now that I'm 20.) Not only was I not overly excited about it, but I didn't need it. Daniel has always been so close to us that anywhere we went he went unless the whole family was going in which case we all went. But courtships and various and sundries have made my getting a license rather important.

I wanted to get the dirty deed done before camp a couple weeks ago, but since I had been in Georgia and my permit had expired. Turns out Virginia doesn't renew permits. I would have to get a new one--yes, this includes the two-part knowledge exam. I decided to have at the test and see if I'd pass with three-year-old knowledge.

(yeah...no.)

The book was handed to me and I determined to study it and get that license ASAP. Accordingly yesterday I studied the book front to back, took the practice tests, and did well. Okay, I thought, I'll do this. It'll be a easy enough. 16 year-old nit-wits get their licenses every day, right? Right.
Daniel took me to the DMV this morning--I drove, reciting my facts all the way: "Did you know that between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. 3 out of 10 drivers are drunk?" Once there, I got through the written exams and the eye exams all right. Nothing too terrible...only missed two on the general knowledge exam which was okay by me since I knew common sense would cover me on the road....(only half-kidding there. ;)

Skeptical mug-shot while waiting for my name to be called...

After a wait of some minutes the lady came forth in her green vest. "Okay, hon, we're gonna go now!" We tramped out to the car and she instructed me to get in and do all my lights for her. Again. Again.
"Sorry, hon. Your right blinker's out. Can't test you without that. Go see if he can bang it or something."
Daniel was fetched and banged away but to no avail. It was determined that he and I would run up to the hardware store, replace the bulb, and come back. An hour later and Daniel had tried everything. The problem had to do with the wires and he wasn't going to be able to fix it with the tools he had before his major conference-call at 3:00.
So what's a girl to do when she's denied her license test? Make arrangements with the cousins to borrow their 12-passenger van she's never driven. So far so good. Mama volunteered to drive it up and meet Daniel and I. I mooched off of Daniel's wallet for lunch. (thanks, bro) Daniel took me to the Ice-cream parlor (a favorite haunt) and bought me a BLT for lunch. The bright red and white decor raised my spirits, as did the dill-pickle spear and the gawky, friendly, cute little deli-boy behind the counter. He seemed a little crestfallen that we didn't buy any ice-cream, so to console himself he made a meaty sub and perched on the bar-stools nearby. I finished my lunch just as Mama drove up with the van. I swapped places with Mama and drove to the DMV for the final try.
It was as if I'd never left. (Barring the fact that Mrs. Driver-Lady had taken off her vest.) She came out to the van with me and I held my breath as I flashed the lights....all as it should be.

Funny thing is, after I actually started driving, I wasn't nervous at all. We wound our way on main roads and neighborhood roads and a cul-de-sac or two. I passed just fine, I believe, and now am a licensed driver....finally.
Mama said this was cause for celebration and recommended some ice-cream. Back to the Ice-cream Parlor! I laughed at the cute fellow's expression when he saw me back at the counter. It was part confusion, part amusement, part "what-on-earth-is-up-with-this-girl?" But I suppose he liked me well enough because he absolutely loaded up my double-stack cone (Mud-Pie and Raspberry-white-chocolate!) and even had the courtesy to ask if I had a preference on how it was layered! :D
Mama and I sat out on the cobbled sidewalk with our cones dripping and made matches and discussed the fact that I cannot marry a spindly man, and generally had a plummy time of it with our ice-cream and chatter.
The end of it all? I'm legal. I could drive to California if I wanted. If there was a bridge I could drive to Scotland. (Get on it, VDOT! ;) I anticipate adventures in the future despite my wry feelings toward cars and roads and other cars in general. Ah me. It was fodder for a blog-post, right?

I was laughing.