My son, who is walking around in a bright yellow T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “I’m so broke I can’t even pay attention”, has just sent me a text message announcing that he has passed his driving test.
A few hours earlier he had sent another - saying he had failed, so apart from me understanding that he is doing what he loves best – confusing dad – I don’t really know what to make of it.
In fact it’s not really the driving test but the longwinded code-thing that you have to pass before they let you sit behind a wheel - least ways here in France.
This year they have also introduced an “attitude” section – an initiative I can only applaud, especially after yesterday evening's drive home and the things that were going on in my rear view mirror as I tried to overtake a truck using only cruise control.
My new car, which finally has a name – Sylvie, she's obviously female – is fitted with the device and I have been experimenting how to cruise without crashing.
The initial trials, on a bendy road returning from the local market were disastrously short lived but the other week I had to drive to England and back, mainly because of ash (my mother-in-law and an Icelandic volcano) and I got to give it a good trial.
It’s a fantastic tool - if you are driving at two in the morning and there is no other traffic to deal with. Traffic lights are a hindrance, but with a bit of practice speed cameras are less of a problem - though there is a certain degree of stress involved in trusting that the machine controlling your speed is reliable – especially when such a trip takes you past enough cameras on one journey to have you banned for life if you have a bad day.
However the worst thing is knowing that one day it will fail on you, it is intended to click out when you break, but what if it doesn’t? In preparation for such an eventuality I took the opportunity of an empty road to practice driving around the bends several kilometres faster than normal and without using them.
Scary!
I don’t think any of this is covered in Loui’s code/test –thing but attitude apparently is.
Hmmm, I wonder if attitude covers t-shirts?
I successfully convinced him not to wear the “I love marijuana” one that he had put on especially for the occasion (he wore it to the English Orals instead) and I tried a subtle ‘can you walk without falling over with your trousers that low?’
He can, he just looks like a duck.
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11 comments:
Loved this :) Trust a young person to wear a t-shirt that tells the person he wants something from "I don't want anything from you". After all, it's demeaning to want anything from anybody. They've got to want to give it to you. Somehow. I'd say.
Thanks for dropping in anne, especially after writing your very moving piece about your dad.
And thanks for having that outside eye and
thought, sometimes being dad gets in the way of objectivity.
The description of your son's trousers reminded me of the audition on American Idol by 62 year old army veteran, Larry Platt, where he performs his original song 'PANTS ON THE GROUND. It created a bit of a pop culture sensation when it aired earlier this year. Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0Z2CqJ1sRM&feature=related
This is the remix but you can watch the original version on the same YOUTUBE site.
I'm sure they wear them like that just to make us crazy. If we, parents, started doing it [the idea of which my son says is "totally gross"], the trend just might change overnight.
Mx
I get the feeling that MOST of the clothes i wear are considered "Totally gross" Mary!
Most of the things i do too.
And eat!
Feel I must come to your defense. You couldn't be 'TOTALLY gross' if you tried. My son has forbidden me from entering clothing stores where his friends shop so that I won't embarass him. Last time I went into one it was like being in a bomb shelter.
And since when is eating a vegetarian diet gross? Especially when compared to what the average carnivore eats which like it or not is always gross!
Still reading the Sunday entry -- thanks for the reference to Rastelli. You must have been about the same age as your son when you started juggling. Imagine the next ten years of his life -- what adventure awaits -- whose sofa will he enjoy while he learns the lessons of life?
Where do you get all of this fantastic photography? It's brilliant! If it is your own work, it is time to hold a show. I'd buy it.
Must finish up early today so I can look for a four-leaf clover. My theory is that there is one to be found in every square foot if you look hard enough.
Mx
Teaching our kids to drive has to be the scariest experiences ever. It's only surpassed by the moment when they've passed the test and say 'Can I borrow the car?'
I once had a Ford Fiesta that prompted a terrible deja vu experience. Shortly after my son passed his test, he drove into a post and smashed in the front of the car. (Thankfully he was OK.) The garage repaired it. A couple of weeks later my daughter passed her test - then smashed in the same car in the front - same damage. (Thankfully she was OK) We took it back to the garage - same mechanic - "But this can't be - I just repaired this."
HE he he he, nice story and spot on with that scariest ever, well, second scariest - deciding to give birth?
yesterday, new-code-boy Loui, who hasn't even STARTED the lessons yet is asking if he can use the car.
We have two - fairly brand new Sylvie and falling apart
Thingy.
I said yes, you will be able to drive Thingy.
Now he's in a hump. refusing to talk, looking morose(r) and phoning mum to say i've destroyed his motivation.
I seemed to remember someone saying "never lend your car to someone you gave birth too."
Mary, the photography is mine unless otherwise credited.
You are welcome to buy it of course, but if i were you i would just copy it onto your desktop,
Which photos(s) do you like ?
Hi Chris:
Have liked all of them really.
It would be easier and shorter to list the very few that I was neutral about ... but won't.
But will say, these stand out without my having to look back into your posts:
a) The reflection in the sea of 3 people taken when you were in England (Newhaven?)
b) Your toe. [Needs no explanation.]
c) The flora that accompanied the 'What if' themed series, esp. the dandelions
... and just about any photo in which there is a reflection through a mirror, window, store front, or other, which covers many of the photos.
No subject too small or too big for your unique perspective.
Always fresh, original, creative.
Am not caught up on all of your posts this week -- having a wild week -- my computer at work was attacked by a sophisticated porn ring. Am back to normal now but have much catching up to do.
Mary x
I don't believe ANYONE would by a photo of my toe!
On second thoughts Mary, the perfectionist in me needs to know the ones you feel neutral about.
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