* Grandson Gets His Driver's Permit (and I live to tell about it)

I vaulted out of bed. Friday was the culmination of weeks of testing, reading, studying and gathering information for the REALLY BIG day for Grandson...I couldn't be late. We were meeting his mother at 7:15 (am) to pick up his birth certificate. I didn't have to call him twice for breakfast...he was ready in a flash.

Out the door we flew, met his mom, secured the document and then it was on to the Drivers License station. We jumped out of the car (in order to stand in line for 25 minutes) and were positioned third in line. We were behind a young man in a demonic shirt of some sort and in front of two Bikers for Jesus.

It looked like an after Christmas sale at the mall when the door opened. Taking a number, it wasn't long before they called us to the desk. Boy, had I outsmarted everyone in the county...this would be a piece of cake. AND I could make the funeral I was supposed to attend later in the day...it was a GREAT idea getting to the station so early... we had all our paperwork... but wait...WHAT?! This lady said we were missing a document from the DRIVERS ED TEACHER! Now, for those of you who don't know it..that DE instructor is no less than MY Hubster...grrrrrrr. Out of line, back into the car, up to the school to get said document.

Arriving back at the testing station, we took another number...NOT #3...I might add. As I took the number (#104 I might add) the lady at the desk casually offered, "Oh, the testing computers are down...would you like to come back another day?" "Another day? Surely you jest," I proffered. Nope I was determined...this was a BIIIGGG day. Come back another day...please...Not on your life, lady. We sat....and sat....and sat. Finally our number came up and all the testers were civil servants.... except ours...we got the highway patrol lady. She peered over her glasses at me...a date was missing here. Oh, help me...I thought I'd checked everything a hundred times...there were reams of paper here...just fill in the date and be done with it. (Somehow she knew I was his grandmother. I think she sensed my panic and determination to see this thing through to the end.)

Then we got the lecture about the man who didn't wear his glasses and got a $200 fine. Grandson had his new glasses perched strategically on his nose, so he was all ears (and eyes). Then she said it...the computers had come up but they were down again...did we want to wait? Sure we do...we've only been here since 7:30 and it's now 9:15...yes, yes, we will wait. And wait, we did...and waited and waited.

Suddenly we heard his name called and the lady shouted, "Hurry, the computers are up. Go!" I was standing, yelling for all 1,000 people in the place to hear, "Don't hurry! Take your time!" The testing lady said, "Go, go now!" He turned and looked at me perplexed, did he hurry or take his time? He hurried. (I meant take your time on the test.)

I changed chairs so I could position myself to watch him take the test in the glassed in testing room. ( I am sort of a hoverer.) All the computers had phones attached...what in the world? All of a sudden everybody who had been waiting filled the testing room with Grandson. Most picked up the phone, but not him. Oh, no...he doesn't understand he's to pick up the phone. He was working like a trojan...you can't miss but 5 questions and still pass. Another day at this place loomed large in my mind. I don't think I can come back here again...it's rather depressing. After what seemed like an eternity, he picked up the phone! And just as quickly, he was through. He only used the phone for a second. Oh, no! He walked over to me and said, "They cut me off at the 27th question."

I was hot under the collar, "WELL, that's not our fault...they are going to have to do something about this!" I rose and went to the desk. "They cut him off at #27...that's not his fault...what now?" I questioned. The lady looked at me and very courteously said, "That means he passed."

"Oh, well, um, thank you." Another picture was needed (he blinked three times before...it's the glasses or maybe the camera I think) and suddenly, he had the golden card in his hands! We were finished and it was only 10:25. He read every letter and line on that card.

I whipped out my camera and took celebratory pictures, much to his chagrin and then as we were pulling out of the parking lot, I asked, "BTW, what was with the phone? Why didn't you use it?" He said, "That's if you need somebody to read you the questions. At the end, I just wanted to see what it sounded like." Oh, in that case....

And that was that....Go, Grandson!!!....you are now officially "permitted" to drive with a DE instructor! You have a very good one!

Being a grandmother is a lot like eating a box of chocolates (if I may borrow a phrase)...you never know what you are going to get on any given day...THIS day was chocolate with caramel inside! :)

May you arrive early for all your appointments,