Driving (as submitted to Highestwire)

Submitted by Tracy Rosewarne on Monday, May 16, 2005 at 12:00:14 PM EST.

By The Communicator Staff
Community High School
Ann Arbor, MI

I have taken the AATA bus since I was 12 years old. Back then, taking the city bus was a sign of growing up to me. I felt independent and free not having my mom drive me around. But at sixteen and still taking the bus to work I started to feel that maybe I should move on from the city bus.

Our time together had been an experience. I met interesting people, heard life stories that you could hear only from the people sitting in the back of the bus, and heard some laugh out loud pick up lines. I was ready to begin driving to work.

But the city bus wasn’t done with me.

The first time I tried to move on from the city bus, I failed my driver's test. I wasn't even allowed to take the road test because I had failed parking so miserably. It probably didn't help that I hadn't practiced at all. I just assumed that I could pass since everyone else did. I forgot the fact that every person I know practiced parking for hours before the test. I was told in the nicest voice possible by Frank, that "Unfortunalty you failed the parking section today, so you won't be able to take the road test." It was interpertated by me as "YOU FAILED!" In ten minutes my hopes of finally breaking things off with the city bus were dashed, and $50 was gone.

I reluctantly returned to taking the bus to work and various other places. Instead of feeling free and grown up like I had when I was twelve I felt like I was forever chained to public transportation. I had failed my driving test. No one fails their driving test. I could kiss the idea of me ever driving goodbye.

I found myself turning into a bitter public transportation rider. The pickup lines didn’t make me laugh anymore and I stopped caring if the person next to me had just worked superbowl weekend, and had to go into work today too. I wanted to say “Everyone works get over it.”

The second time I attempted to say goodbye to the city bus, it went much better. I think the bus finally realized our time together had dead ended. Determined to pass with flying colors, I spent hours backing into parking spaces. It paid off. So excited that I passed the parking part, I mixed up the first instructions of the road test.

“Take a right out of this parking lot.”

“A right?” I doublechecked.

“A right, and then we’ll take an immediate left.”

I took a left out of the parking lot.

This time around I had Larry, who seemed to be a much nicer person, and he let it slide. He complimented me on my driving skills, especially my blind spot checking I decided against making a joke about how I once checked the wrong blindspot and I almost created a fatal car accident on US-23. I passed.

That same night I eagerly went to the Secretary of State by myself. My dad was tired and wanted to be dropped off at home.

"No problem," I told him. "I can drive myself there."

Again my excitment got ahead of me. I failed to read the three reminders that you needed a parent or legal guardian and $25 to register at the Secretarty of State. The lady gave me a look of "This girl is so stupid."

I didn’t let to get to me, instead I drove myself home....alone.

On my second attempt of becoming a registered driver of the state of Michigan it went much better. I had my mom and $25 with me. My license had cost me a total of $473, including the session 1 and 2 classes I had taken at Allstar driving school, and the first driver’s test I took.

It was worth it.

Now I’m just working on getting my own form of transportation. Because as cool as driving a mini-van around and feeling like a soccer mom is, I feel like it’s time to move on. But if it's not time, I am not complaining. I no longer have to schedule my afternoon around the time the bus comes so I can get to work on time. When someone wants to hang out I can be there in fifteen minutes instead of an hour full of transfers. Yes private transportation is quite a relief. And at 16 I feel independent and grown up.

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