Your dad would hold back the rain for you. Today, it seems he did.
You earned your Certified Driver’s License Friday the 13th ahead of Father’s Day weekend, days after a full moon.
Just like your dad would have, you arrived 10 minutes prior to 10 minutes early and parked the Tahoe. After a deep breath, you thought, “Dad, if you’re there, wish me luck.”
Captain Bob drove a school bus in Cherokee County for many years. A woman who says Bob mentored her is still with the county.
Some current staff members still know who your dad was.
The exorbitantly hot midday air kept away any of the cool that comes when you are nervous.
The man testing your vehicle inspection, Alan, giggled at how well you performed.
“I didn’t think he was laughing at me,” you said. “I think I felt like he was laughing that, you know, ‘This guy’s got his shit down’ because I was just going through it very methodically.”
Alan mentioned a checklist before you started your flow, but you only asked to see the checklist after you’d gone through its items.
“All right, before I say the magic words, “The vehicle inspection is over,” I’d like to look at the checklist,” you told Alan. “He just kind of laughed. He’s like, ‘Dude, I can give you the checklist if you want, but you’re fine.’ I was like, ‘all right, sweet.’”
Into the school bus for the road skills test, you masterfully execute a controlled stop and backing up in a straight line without hitting anything.
You perfectly pulled out of a cone alley and honked the horn.
Out on the road, you traveled a familiar path until the turn at Toonigh Road, where you would have gone left if not taking a CDL driver’s test.
“I ended up right in front of Bob’s neighborhood, and I said, ‘that’s where my best friend lives.”
You met Bob in high school, and he followed you from New Hampshire to Georgia, way back in the 1900s. You founded the band Manic together; Bob was the best man at our wedding.
You read every sign, noted the ones hidden by bushes, and calmly navigated entitled assholes who won’t let a school bus merge.
As soon as you got out of the bus, Alan handed you an envelope to bring to the Department of Driver Services on Tuesday. He said you did well. Alan laughed at your stress and worry, replying, “No, man, you’re one of the good ones.”
After getting back in your truck, you waited a minute and checked your phone. You left, and the rain came down hard. Relieved that the weather didn’t ruin your road test, you thanked Captain Bob the school bus driver for the assist.
Your dad held back the rain to say, “Hi” and “Congratulations.”
Your dad would hold back the rain for you. Today, it seems he did.