It was winter time, there was snow on the ground and it was darn cold. I wore a heavy coat with a long scarf and toque. My cousin had been cool enough to be the one who had been teaching me how to drive. We had been using his orange 4×4 jeep.

I had asked if I could use his jeep for the test as it had been the vehicle I was used to driving. To my utter surprise he said yes! I was going to be driving that jeep with someone other than my cousin as the passenger. Woot. I was excited but nervous as well.

I picked up the ministry of transportation officer, who had on a heavy coat, a large funny looking hat as well as earmuffs because the doors and cover of the jeep was made of this flimsy material and we proceeded to test out my driving skills. Now the jeep was surely a lot of fun to drive. However it was very herky jerky when you shifted the gears. You tended to get thrown about a bit like the motion you sense when a rollercoaster has come to a stop after flying around the rails. Don’t know if it was the transmission or the fact that it was a 4X4 or that it was just really really cold outside.

Anyhow, left and right turns were performed…check. Full stop at stop sign…check. Full stop at light…check. Maintaining correct speed while switching lanes on one way street…FRICKING check!

And then it happened, the dreaded parallel parking test. I pulled up alongside a car, braked and shifted into reverse, we both lunged forward. I turned the wheel and proceeded to back into the open space, I cut too sharply, I shift into drive and we both lurch back. I’m laughing in my head at how funny we must look while doing the parallel parking dance.

I shift into reverse the officer is bracing himself against the dashboard I ease her back into the cramped space between two cars and that’s when I feel the thump on the bumper of the car behind us as we connect. CRAP, FAIL! I continue to complete the exam thinking…well I’m going to have to do this again.

Surprise is not the word I would use, more like SHOCK when we returned to the ministry of transportation and the officer says…”Well you need to work some more of you right hand turns but I’m going to pass you…congratulations on earning your license!” Whiskey, TANGO, Foxtrot! WTF!

Maybe, it was the herky jerky motion of the gears shifting, maybe it was the funny hat with the earmuffs or maybe I’m just plain lucky. But for some reason, dude did NOT notice that I tagged the car behind me while parking! Who knows?!? All I knew was that I had my license and I was going to go celebrate the way any other true cold blooded Canadian celebrates getting their license…doing donuts in an empty parking lot!

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This post was submitted by Glen.

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