Friday, August 30, 2013
Connecting the dots… I already know you know how to drive.
Today, I will be going for my second attempt at passing my road test in Texas. I am confident I will pass it this time. Amazingly, I have never felt so much at peace about a road test then I do today. The Coach is a bit concerned because he is not sure if he will be able to leave the job early enough to get me to the testing site for my appointment. I am confident he will, so I am not sweating it. Too many things have been lining themselves up for me not to pass.
After doing a few projects earlier in the day I decided to go and practice my parallel parking a bit more.
After a few unsuccessful attempts I park my truck near perfectly two times before quitting to return back home. At one point I could feel myself getting frustrated. I had resolved that I have to release my parking ability or lack thereof to God and not stress it 🙂 At that point I took a breath and prayed. I sat in the truck a bit longer and just took in the scene that was unfolding in front of me.
My practice spot is off one of the many manmade lakes that dot our community’s landscape. The fountain at its center was cascading streams of water into its base. Under the streams young cranes played and swam lazily in the currents. It was a very peaceful sight to behold. Joyce Meyer was giving me another one of our daily pep talks as I listened to her through the truck’s stereo speakers. I had popped in one of the discs in her CD series on “The Spirit of Fear” before I headed out. My fears were not birthed from God, and I had to agree with what she was saying.
I put the vehicle back in the drive position and headed for home. Once inside I realized it was now only two hours before exam time! Oji texted me a while later to inform me and apologized that he could not not get out earlier. He was on his way home now. The high school where he teaches is about 25 minutes away. When he did arrive home he finds me lounging on the couch reading a book.
He urges me to get ready to leave. Tells me he is going to drive us there, so we will get there faster. Originally I was supposed to drive all the way there and back. I don’t audibly say anything. I know it’s not the right time. However, inwardly I am thinking and saying to myself… ‘My seat is perfectly adjusted for me.’ Again I don’t sweat it. He seems flustered and even drives a bit irately while I joyfully sing out loud with the radio. I had to point out to him that it seemed as if he had adapted my old nervous energy. He gives me a funny look and keeps driving.
When we arrive we are actually early by about 15 minutes. The Coach, my sweet husband was so tired from the full day fell asleep while we were waiting for the examiner.
When the examiner finally raps on the driver’s side window, she scares him a bit. The entire scene makes me laugh. I immediately recognize my examiner. She had been the same woman that had assisted me through the entire process of transferring my learner’s permit from NY to renewing it so I could take the test again! We had even spoken on the phone once when I had to reschedule an earlier appointment. I remember her being so helpful, a God sent. Now she would be my road test examiner! To top it all off God had a sense of humor because it seemed that we both were fans of the color purple. All her accents from her sneakers to her clipboard and pen were a bright neon purple color. I was in heaven.
After Oji left the vehicle to go and wait in the DMV office, she gets in and tells me. “I know you know how to drive. I am just going to tell you what will cause you to fail the exam.” There he goes again. God reaffirming to me that I was going to pass this time!
She and I proceed to go through the course. I parallel parked the truck correcting my own error and then we go driving down the streets surrounding the DMV office. I seriously thought she would have me go on the highway. When after a few minutes she tells me to turn back towards the testing starting point. While we were driving she told me 15 minutes earlier she had been in an accident with another person and they had blamed her for the incident; cussed at her even. They failed of course.
I looked at the situation as the enemy’s sad last attempt to sabotage me getting yet another victory over him. To God be all the glory, she could had gotten offended and said she was going to not take anyone else out for the day. I would have been in the car right now with a state trooper as my examiner; shutter the thought. I am so grateful that she decided not to be offended (too much) and take me and another person out for their road tests.
As we made that final turn into the DMV’s parking lot she tells me to pick a spot because I had passed! She hands me my paperwork, and I see I have a near perfect score. I had only gotten a minus one for parallel parking for being a bit of distance away from the curb. At that point I almost forgot how to secure the vehicle before sprinting into the DMV office. Oji was already holding my spot on the line to get my temporary driver’s license. When I asked him why he was there, he so sweetly tells me. “Babe, once I saw you left the parking lot, I knew you had passed. I just came in here to hold your spot.” Just another reason why I love that man so much!
© 2013, Lela Jefferson Fagan. All rights reserved.
