It was a bittersweet moment as I saw the broad grin on my son's face when he walked back in with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles road test employee. I knew immediately that he was successful in his latest attempt to score that holiest of teenage holies: the driver's license.In his previous four tests, my son's nervousness caused him to handle the car at a level something less than the expectations of the examiners. These were always goofy mistakes, and truthfully he frightened me less than my other children did when they were learning how to drive. One daughter used to drive me crazy with the cell phone, seemingly more concerned with talking about vintage wholesale clothing than the semi directly in front of us.
Or maybe I just became desensitized to brushes with death at the hands of inexperienced teenaged motorists: who knows?
So, my son, I offer you the following advice, even though you will give me that "sure, Dad" look that tells me you have already tuned me out: drive carefully, drive defensively, and drive like you want to keep this license forever.
And put away that blasted cellphone until you arrive at your destination.
