Anti-climatic.

So, Friday was the most recent round for the driver's license test. I had 2 lessons the Saturday before, though I had sworn I would not take driving lessons. The lessons were helpful in that they tell you exactly what is necessary to pass the test, or at least if you have a good instructor. I was left a little bemused though when my instructor, an expert (?) in the legalities of driving, was critiquing my driving and said, "If you had a baby between your legs while you're driving..."

Thinking that this might be something to slip me up, I quickly countered in Japanese that I thought the baby would be in the back seat in their approved safety seat.

"Well, anyway, " he continued, "if you had a baby between your legs, and you were turning at the rate of speed you were turning, the baby would hit their head. It's dangerous, yes? A baby is important, yes?"

All righty then. Note taken. Slow down and make sharp slow turns when I need to turn.

F went with me on Friday, and he kept giving me his own brand of pep talk from a familiar children's book that E has been reading a lot of late. "I think you can. I think you can. I think you can." He was stressing me out by trying to relax me. So, I was number 4 in line with about 15 people taking our test on Friday. Tester #3, I observed the last leg of her test as I needed to go queue up and be ready to hop in. I noticed her uncrisp turn, her stopping in the middle of the lane rather than teetering on the edge of the left gutter at the stop sign and thought there'd be no good news in Mudville for her. Yes, indeed, she was given the length of lecture that I had enjoyed 2 tests prior. I felt sad for her and couldn't make eye contact with her as she exited the car as I felt a little embarrassed for her as well.

So, my turn, turns made with blinkers blazing, lanes shifted with appropriate mirror checks, crank turn completed with no tires hitting the curb, accelerated to 50 km/hr in the fast lane only to brake sharply to change lanes before a right hand turn, man this was going fast. I was nearing the end of the test and thought that perhaps I had not been precise enough. There was no comment, little writing, what would the verdict be? I pull into the parking space and F is at the passenger side window to translate the instructions and criticisms.







"She completed all the technical elements."

Thank yous were exhanged, a high 5 was enjoyed by me. But, we had to wait until 12:45 to get the official word. It was only 10:10 then. So we came back after a bit of errands and lunch, and enjoyed the official news for only a moment when we were rushed into another room and instructed to go downstairs and pay the fee for a license and come directly back and take our seat on a certain sofa.

While I did not expect confetti, hardy handshakes or a slap on the back, I expected something. The 3 Brazilians who joined me in the winners' circle that day (yes only 4 out of 15 of us passed) were sharing hugs and some were a bit teary eyed....if only I could have joined their camraderie! Maybe some ping pong balls from Captain Kangaroo raining down on me, Ms. Moose, would have at least been somewhat appropriate.