The New Years Resolution

The New Years Resolution Suzanne Marsh She sat quietly; knowing that she needed to learn to drive. She had avoided it for almost fifteen years. Her husband kept telling her it would be easier if she drove, she would have to walk almost two miles to work. That was all well and good but she preferred to walk. They toasted the New Year in. She looked into his baby blue eyes: "My New Year's resolution is to learn to drive this year. Will you teach me?" He smiled into her beautiful brown eyes: "Ah, that is great. First thing we need to do is buy a car for you." Thus began the longest New Year's resolution in history. My Mom was determined to learn to drive, Dad decided they would start in the spring, winter in Buffalo, New York is not a good time to learn to drive. The snow and ice is difficult for even experienced drivers. February brought with a 1946 Chevrolet that was given to Mom by a neighbor. Dad began by teaching her how to push the clutch in to start the car. Things went well until the day she put the car through the garage. That was just the beginning of Mom's New Years Resolution. She called Dad and explained what happen; she sent me to my room so I would not hear what was being said. Dad, resolved to purchase Mom an automatic; thinking it would be more difficult to go through the garage door. That was just the beginning. Every Sunday we went for a ride. Mom, drove. I cringed, Dad turned an amazing color of purple. I can remember going around corners, Mom would swing wide and Dad would inform her she was not driving a truck. There were times when I truthfully feared for my young life. Mom would make right hand turns from the left hand lane and left hand turns from the right. More times than I care to admit to my young life flashed in front of me as she made a turn. That was the first year, of her resolution to learn to drive. The second year, of course once the winter had come and gone, Mom once again began her driving lessons with Dad. Her going around corners were improving, to be fair, however keeping control of the car was becoming a hazard to my health. She learned the three point turn. The first one she missed a fender and hit the curb so hard the car vibrated, jarring Dad and I. I will say one thing, she was consistent, she consistently could not do the three point turn. That was the second year of her learning to drive. The third year was parallel parking. I truly think Dad and I should have had matching T shirts saying: "I survived parallel parking". It was the most harrowing experience I have ever had, and I was in the back seat., Dad had the pleasure of the front seat. It did not seem difficult to but then I was fifteen, with no sense of fear. Her first attempt, will no doubt go done in the annals of why my Mom should never had a her license. Dad began by showing her...not the best idea he ever had. He located a huge area when they could practice. The object is to manage to get the car into the parking spot. I remember digging my finger nails into the arm rest as the ordeal began. Mom pulled up to the car and began to back up. That was fine, but she had no idea how to straighten the car back out. Dad, got out, attempting to talk her into the parking space. She almost hit him twice, the first time. I have to admire my Dad, he had a great deal of tenacity. The fourth year of her resolution began as the others in the early spring. This year, Dad convinced himself, she would be ready to take road test. Oh lordy, what a mistake that was! Mom, took off without signaling, that was bad enough but she must scared the inspector. He came back white as a sheet, he politely told her she would receive a something in the mail as to whether or not she passed. Dad, asked how it went. He had seen her pull out of the parking space without signaling. What she told him must have really put the fear of God in Dad: "I hit two garbage cans, I missed a car by an inch when I paralleled park." Dad put his hand up, as if to signal her to stop: "You'll do better next time!" For several days our entire family waited with mixed feelings. Dad and I wanted her to get her license. Dad because he hated the thought of her walking two miles to work especially in the winter through the snow and wind. Me, my reasoning was that if she learned to drive, it would be safer for me, with the exception of the entire driving population in Buffalo, New York. That was my teenage reasoning. That was not how things happened. The letter arrived, she had failed the road test, she could take it as many times as she needed to pass it. Five months later, she took the road test again. Her resolve was still there, she was going to pass that road test. Her resolve was strong, her driving was scary to anyone in the car. I am glad I was in school because the next road test not only involved garbage cans, it also involved her slamming on her brakes. This was back in the day of no seat belts. She must have scared the peejabbers out of the inspector. She failed again. Mom by now was more determined to fulfill that New Year's resolution. Most of my Sundays were spent in the Ford Falcon, my nails embedded in the arm rest. Dad, yelling at Mom that she was turning to wide, that she was not driving a Mack truck. The fifth year of her New Year's resolution she became more and more determined to learn to drive and PASS THE ROAD TEST! The question was answered in late June. She finally passed her road test. Dad was happy and I was relieved! Mom was very proud of herself, she had made that New Year's resolution and she did it! Her adventures over the years give plenty of fodder for stories. It just goes to show what a New Year's resolution can be accomplished.