In the summer of 1990 my mother caught me backing her 1988 Toyota Camry out of the garage. She was not happy. I took off running but eventually had to come home and face the music of a father who was less than thrilled. It was one of the few times, maybe the only time he ever really got in my face with such rage in his eyes. I was genuinely scared.
But, not scared enough.....
Back in the winter of 1990, I was 15 I took my father's 3800-pound 24-foot long 5 1/2 foot wide 1983 Cadillac Coupe DeVille for a ride. I went by a girl's house that I was friends with. I made a K-turn on a hill, put the car in reverse backed up a few feet, the car made a grinding noise, the engine revved, as the car started moving forward. The tranny blew. HOLY SHIT!
I put it in drive and it went forward, but now I'm too close to the curb and can't turn around. I jumped out of the car while in neutral I used the right tire on the curb to prevent the car from moving and 135 pound 5 foot 5 me pushed the car up the hill from the door jam several feet which was enough to get it straightened out and turned around. I drove home, it wouldn't go past 2nd gear. I wasn't able to park it the same way it was in the garage the way I found it.
My father didn't find out until Tuesday morning when he had to leave for work. Needless to say, he was a bit confused, but not dumb. He knew I took it out by the way it was parked, and obviously not happy.
He had to leave for work, I had to leave for school. We have two cars so it wasn't really an issue of not having a car.
That night he came home and asked me what happened I told him. I was scared I had tears in my eyes. I did use the reasoning that It was going to happen regardless of who was driving. The thing just went. It happens. That made it like 1% better for me as it spared him the embarrassment of having it happen at his office, or with clients.
When we got the car back I took it up and around the block. He wasn't home when I left and I didn't expect him home for a while. I get back to the house and guess who came home early? My father was standing outside and I exited the vehicle and said, It's running good and gave him a thumbs up like It had my seal of approval. He just shook his head as I took a wide angle around him towards the house. I know he was laughing inside because over the years he told that story a few times.
I laid off the driving for a while after that. I turned 16 that summer and obtained my permit, which I assumed was my actual license even though it wasn't. I Got myself in some trouble that required dual court appearances with an attorney and I wasn't able to take the driver's ed until I sorted the legal issues out.
In the summer of 1991, I took driver's Ed. I missed the first class because I had a work obligation. (yes at 16 almost 17 years old I had work obligations) Everyone got to drive on the first day. I met the instructor and he asked me if I had ever driven before and I was like, nope. I played dumb like I didn't know what the shifter was or which pedal did what. He was rolling his eyes and had a terrified look on his face as I put the car in drive. I purposely put the car in low and here he is grasping the oh shit handle like he is Jester in DCS getting ready to punch out. I was taking the course with a friend of mine, he and the other 2 students knew that I knew how to drive
Once I hit the road it was obvious after half a block that I knew what I was doing. The instructor looked at me and asked me with quite an attitude if I thought I was being funny, to which I replied I like making people I pay earn their money, and yes I paid for this course that's why I wasn't here yesterday because I was at work. At the time I worked at Pathmark. This guy was NOT amused and we never did get along and yes, I know that was my fault, but f*** him I had a chip on my shoulder and didn't give a f***. I was walking almost 2 miles each way in the July heat to take that class, and I paid for it myself. Drivers Ed was merly a formality for me. My boy Tommy wasn't happy with my behavior because the instructor knew we were friends and he gave him a hard time after that too. They both got over it.
#NOf***SGIVEN