There's a new licensed driver in town and he's really, really, really happy to be driving. After his first solo trip (which was to his Tae-kwon-do class) he informed me, "Mom, now I really feel empowered." Isn't that what every 16 year old says upon earning their new found freedom with a car?
Gavin went for his driver's test 9am this past Monday morning. I don't know who was more nervous, me or him...but I played it cool. If I've learned nothing else from parenting a teen it is this: whatever you do, be cool. On the outside, I was a cool cucumber. On the inside, my stomach was doing back flips.
Once the Testing Guy comes and dismisses me from the passenger seat that I've occupied for 13 long, arduous, nail-biting months along side my son, I don't look back. Remember, I'm being cool. For Gavin. If I fall apart, he'll fall apart. His confidence rests on my confidence in him. I walk towards the waiting area non-chalantly as if I do this every day. I procure a seat by the window so I can watch him do his first 'test' which is to back in at a 90 degree angle. As I get my phone poised to take the picture I gasp as I see him hit the cone! Apparently I also snapped a shot at the very same instant I gasped because this is the image I caught.
I felt horrible for him. The very first part of the test and he's already messed up. Arghhh!!! He's been practicing this every weekend for months. Never once did he hit a cone. Oh well, I think, I hope this doesn't mess with his mind too much for the rest of the test. Fifteen minutes crawl by. I have a book open on my lap but have no clue what I'm reading. Suddenly I see another kid who started his road test just before Gavin walk in with his Test Guy and they talk to the mom. Test Guy tells mom that he needs a bit more practice and to come back next week. Great, looks like this will be the path we will be taking too. I even check my calendar to see if I have next Monday open. I decide to go wait outside so Gavin isn't embarrassed when Test Guy has to talk to me in front of all these waiting people. I see Gavin walking up to me with his same ol' expression - serious. I can't read it. I don't know if he's just being cool, if he failed and is trying not to go all Donald Duck on me or if he's tricking me and trying to make me think he failed when in actuality he passed. It's odd though, the Test Guy is not walking over toward me like Gavin is. Hmmm.
Then Gavin calmly points out, "I passed" with ever so slight a grin on his face. Apparently, jumping up and down and screaming with your mom and having too happy of a face is NOT COOL. I follow him in the building beaming with a huge smile (forget cool, I'm thrilled) and ask him to explain the whole hitting the cone incident. "Well, I did hit the cone. But apparently he thought I did great on everything else that he passed me." That is all the explanation I'm allowed. I do not know what conversations transpired between Test Guy and my son. I do not know whether or not Gavin's butterflies were as active as mine. But I do know that despite how cool we both looked on the outside, we were super stoked on the inside.
Watch out, you might just see these two driving around town looking all cool with their licenses and sunglasses.
