Don’t you love when something happens when you’re an adult and you have that moment… That moment when you realize your parents were right? I’ve had a few.
This morning I had a similar moment. I was talking to the parking attendant outside the station. I waved as I drove by, as I usually do when I see him. He waved back, but not as he usually did. Then I saw the light go off. He didn’t realize it was me because I was driving my husband’s car.
He smiled and said cheerfully, “Riding the old man’s car”? I laughed yes. About that time, he could see it was a stick shift and said, he bet I hated driving that. That’s about when, unbeknownst to me, it started to happen. I eagerly told him how not only did I not hate driving a stick… I preferred it. Then I went on to tell him how my father demanded that I learn how to drive a stick when I was just a teen. I can still hear him tell me, “I don’t want you out stuck on a road somewhere, in a position where you can’t drive if need be, because you can’t drive a stick!”
I remember telling my father I didn’t need to learn because my Aunt was going to let me use her automatic car so I could take my drivers test to get my license. He quickly put me in my place and told me he would not allow me to take the test until I learned to drive a manual. I learned… and many, many years later… I actually prefer driving a stick. And yes, I have been in a position when I needed to drive unexpectedly, and was the only passenger in the car that could drive a stick.
Back to the parking attendant… He told me my father was a good man and that was a great lesson. I agreed. I went so far as to say I was going to impart the same lesson on my children. My dad was right.
Posted by Dawn Jefferies at 10:48 AM. Filed under: main •
(0) Comments • Permalink
