Learnin' to drive

Our Vega looked like this, but was silver with black stripes


(sung to the tune of Learning to Fly - Tom Petty song).

Some people are natural drivers - they grow up driving those little simulated cars. Hop onto the go cart race tracks at a young age and whip the competition. They are the kids who can't wait to turn 14 so they can secure their learner's permit to legally drive in the state of Iowa.

Well honey, that wasn't me! I dragged my feet. I didn't get my permit until just before I took Driver's Education the summer before I turned 16. I didn't feel ready to take my own and other people's lives lives into my hands.

I studied the booklet and passed the driver's permit exam the first time. Phew - I was kick-ass on the rules of driving. But sister Cindy had scared the shit out of me on the actual driving part - as the driver she peeled out fishtailing in the snow and in parking lots, striking terror in my heart.

Joel Simms and Mr. Barnes? taught Driver's Ed. I took it during the summer and the classroom stuff was easy. Back then they even taught us how to drive a stick shift - it was a 3 speed Chevy Nova. I did okay driving - though I'm sure the instructors were glad they had their own brake on their side of the car!

At home, Dave Bullfrog was in charge of teaching driving - not the most patient man in the world! I got to learn to drive at home using Mom's 1972 Buick Station Wagon - wahoo. Then when Cindy went to Drake we got a Chevy Vega for her and the fam to use. It was a hot looking car - racy paint and a miniscule friction point on the clutch of the 4 speed transmission. It made me cry. More than once.

Dad would have me drive it out to the barn to feed my horse - on the other side of town, while he rode shotgun. There were hills between here and there! One killer hill by the YMCA caused me to kill it multiple times, slam on the parking brake and jump out crying - forcing Dad to take over the wheel.

I eventually did master that tricky clutch - and it was good training for all future cars in my life. Later in high school, I drove Bubba's light blue 1971 VW Beetle - forgiving clutch winters when they were in sunny Florida. My 1976 Monza and Paul's 1979 were 4 Speeds and our 1984 Mazda was a 5 Speed.

I'm a confident driver now, but would still rather not drive if someone else (a GOOD driver) would rather drive.