When Grandma Was A Little Girl - #56

56-Driving Lessons – the old cottonwood tree – pedal to the metal!

Probably every teenager lives for the day when they ‘learn how to drive a car!’

I grew up in New Mexico. You had to be 15 years old to drive. Back then there was no ‘required Driver’s Ed’ to obtain your driver’s license. There were no limitations as to when you could drive, how many daytime hours and how many night hours, or how many could be in the car and if they were related to you. None of this applied. You got your license and off you went! However I did take Driver's Ed in High School. I was a sophomore, 10th grade, and it counted as a credit toward classes for graduation. The course was a breeze and I already knew how to drive. I scored 100% on the written test and aced the driving test.

My mom had the blessing (or curse?) of teaching all of her children how to drive. My dad was always busy with work and did not have the time. (Or, maybe he just didn’t want to do it, hmmm. Maybe it’s a mom thing. I taught all of our children how to drive.) We had a small Renault. It was smaller than a Volkswagen Beetle. It had a stick shift, which means you had to shift gears and engage (put your foot on the clutch pedal on the floorboard) the clutch on the floor.

About one mile up the road from where we lived before it took a hair pin corner, off to the right there was a small field and next to the road there was a very big cottonwood tree. This big old tree was a great shade tree. Unfortunately that spot was also where people went on Friday and Saturday nights to park their cars and get drunk. The field had a large oval dirt path worn in it. That’s where I learned how to drive. My mom said I learned very quickly and probably was the best of the four kids she taught to drive. I remember being so excited the day I got my driver's license! For the first few weeks I would ask my mom if there were any errands that she needed me to run for her. Like all things, pretty soon you tire of ‘running those errands.’ I had a job so I had to help pay for gas. My parents paid for the car insurance but I had to help pay for gas money.

I drove my parent’s little car to school. That was so wonderful! I had a job after school so I took the car to work. One day my dad came home a little early. He was usually home around 5:00p.m. He was looking out the kitchen window toward the front drive. I came sailing in the driveway and my dad about had a heart attack from fright! He asked mom, “Does she always come in the driveway that fast?”

My mom said, “Oh yes, the cats run for cover when she comes home. She comes in on two wheels and comes to a stop!” I came in the house and my dad had this odd look on his face and my mom didn’t seem different. My dad told me, “Don’t come in the driveway that fast. You need to slow down.” Funny, but I didn’t think I was driving that fast. Well the next time I came in the driveway I glanced up on the porch and there went our cat named Esmeralda (a Seal Point Siamese) and she dove off the porch and under the car in the carport at the end of the porch. I couldn’t believe it! I guess the cats were afraid when I came in the driveway! Wow! I slowed down after that. I didn’t always slow down, especially if I was in a hurry or running late.

Years later I had my own teenagers to teach how to drive. What an experience! Some of the times were fun and some were hair raising! Like most teenagers, they all liked to drive fast. Some of them got a few tickets for driving fast! I don't like driving fast now and it makes me nervous if I am in a car and someone drives fast. Funny how things turn around!