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On The Road — Finally
It was a balmy summer night, and after a long day of work, Cindy’s dad had finally decided to give his daughter the driving lesson she had been asking for. It was so nice outside, and the sun had just started to set over the horizon. She had been so excited for this day, and now it was finally here.
Cindy gripped the steering wheel firmly, excited to finally put those classes she’d taken to the test. She slowly backed the car out of the driveway and onto the street, being careful to make sure all the lights were on and that she kept to the speed limit.
Dad felt a bit apprehensive in the passenger seat. He kept peeking over to her every so often, making sure she was keeping a close eye on the road. Unfortunately, it seemed every time he looked, she was getting distracted and drifting off the lane. He knew he had to jump in and take control, but that made him feel guilty. He didn’t want to make her feel like he didn’t have faith in her.
On top of all that, Dad felt like he was stepping into the shoes of his own father. It made him think of all the times when he was just a kid and his parents took turns taking him out for a spin behind the wheel. He remembered all the conversations they would have, the tips his Dad would give him, and the
funny stories they’d share as they drove. He couldn’t help but to wonder how he’d fare with his own daughter.
He let his worries go, and gave Cindy a few gentle reminders and corrections as she drove. He laughed when he saw her stressing out over the speed limit, joking around that driving too slow was nearly as bad as driving too fast. After a while, they’d parked in the lot of a grocery store for Cindy to practice her parking skills and to give her a little break from the intense concentration she’d been putting in.
When Cindy thought she had practiced enough, Dad agreed and thought a little treat was in order; so they stopped at their neighborhood Dairy Queen for a snack and to laugh about their experiences, both good and bad. Dad gave her a big hug when they returned to the car, feeling proud of the progress she was making. With a few minor pointers, they got back to their driving lesson, this time deciding to head up to Grandpa’s house. He knew Grandpa would get a kick out of seeing Cindy driving.