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Learning to drive

June 2, 2012

When I was 15 years old, I talked Lynn into teaching me to drive. He wasn't my first choice because I knew he had a quick temper and I knew That I was not a fast learner ( that is a kinder way to say,  I WAS A SLOW LEARNER, and since this is MY story, I can write it any way I want to.)  My only driving experience had been in the hayfield driving an automatic truck at about 3 mph. while my Dad and my brother threw hay in the back of the truck.
Lynn had a car at the time that we all reffered to as  "the Green Turd," it was like a 58 or 59 model something painted baby poop green, and huge! On top of that, it was a standard. I explained to my brother that I had no desire to learn how to drive a standard and assured him that I planned to drive only automnatic vehicles so there was no need for me to learn how to drive in that particular car. He said, "If you want me to teach you, you are going to learn how to drive in my car. Besides you may have to drive a standard so you need to learn how now.) I had no choice as I had already asked every family member to help me prior to asking him, so I agreed.  
It didn't take but a few minutesl until I realized that I was in for a  long day. He would tell me to take off in first gear and I would attempt to obey that command but had a great deal of difficulty letting off of the clutch slowly while genly pushing the gas pedal. The goal,  according to my mentor, was to do this in a slow, smooth motion.  This sounded good in theory but proved to be, much to his dismay, quite a daunting task for me.  Try as I might, my efforts would result in a jerking motion and often the car would die in the process. At that point my brother would scream at me to listen to him and do it," just like he said to do it." He appeared to belkieve that I was not giving the lesson my full attention and seemed to think if he yelled the directions to me, I would understand what he wanted me to do a little bit better. I tried to tell him that I could hear his instructions clearly without his yelling them to me, and at  that point, he only yelled louder. 
Attempt after attempt to achieve that slow, effortless task of pulling out without the jerkiness or the car dying,  failed.  Each time I was unsuccessful, of which there were dozens of times, he would get louder and louder and more and more angry at me. He started adding colorful language, and bouts of hitting the dash with his fists or slapping the door while screaming at me to, "Stop playing around and pay attention!"  This went on for over an hour. Both of us were exhausted and mad by that time.
Finally I told him that "I am not in the army, and stop screaming at me," He acted as if I hadn't said a word and continued to gripe and SHOUT at me. Finally, in frustration I started crying. I was sure that my tears would make him feel sorry for me and calm him down. Nothing could have been further from the truth! I told him that the lesson was over and to just take me home, and that I was not going to be treated like that. He started clapping at that point saying what a "Drama Queen"  I was and that I was either going to learn to drive that car or walk home. 
My stubborness and pride wanted to tell him, "Fine! I will just walk home," but it was at least 99 segrees that day and we were about 7 or 8 miles away from home so I didn't tell him that I would walk home. Instead, we spent another hour and I put up with his yelling and temper tantrums. Toward the end of the "lesson," he decided to point out other flaws in my personality as well as those related to my driving skills, while shouting at me. I was so mad at him but I did learn to drive a standard that day! He did not allow me to give up or quit, and he stayed on me til I was able to do it.
When we finally got home, I was so proud and happy that I could drive....Finally, and rushed inside to tell my parents and get a glass of iced tea and rest where it was cool. I was so thankful that the whole ordeal was over and vowed to NEVER let my brother teach me anything again. At that point, he walked in the house and said," What do you think you are doing in here? Get your butt outside. Now I am going to teach you how to change a flat tire. You can't be driving no cars til you know how to that. And hurry up!"  Well, that was my brother for you!

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