The further adventures of Texas-Nana at the Swift Driving Academy

Well, people have been asking me for more information on how the class is going. I haven’t been posting much and its due to two reasons. The first is that I’ve been so tired. The second is that there are LURKERS on this forum. Yes people, LURKERS! They come on and read our posts then come to the very class I’m in and talk about what I say.

YES I MEAN YOU MEN FOLK OVER AT THE HOTEL SWIFT PUT YOU IN!

*points* See them? LURKERS.

ROFL


Anyway, here goes:


I just finished day four and I’m feeling optimistic right now. I began, as some of you know, very frightened, discouraged and pessimistic. If anyone ever went to Swift believing they couldn’t become a driver its me. Why was I this way you ask? It’s simple, I’m 52, female, vastly overweight and back in November I fell off a 6 ft ladder and hurt parts of my body I didn’t even know I had. My class has been postponed more times than a frog’s hiney bumps the road and then there’s the little aspect that I am the most mechanically challenged human God ever created.

Plus, I’ve been spoiled by Grandad. To be honest….for the first 10 years of marriage I barely even put gas in my vehicle. Grandad did all that because he liked spoiling me. In fact we owned one car for over a year before I had to fuel it myself. Before I married I was relatively independent but for the last 27 years I just say “Honey? Can you help me?” and things magically get fixed. Furnaces, cars, plumbing, and so on. I’m one of those scarey women that refers to mechanical things as “do hickies, thing-a-ma-jigs and dillie-boppers”. I’ve just caused every single one of you to want to ride in a big rig with me haven’t I?

So, off I went to the Driving Academy on Wednesday morning blurry-eyed at 5:15 am when I left the house. And then promptly got caught in miles of traffic on a two lane road across the Gila River Reservation where a semi pulling a double hit a mini-van head on. I sat first in line at the accident for almost 2 hours. I was late my first morning to school by over an hour and a half. I was stressed beyond belief already since I’d been unable to sleep the night before except for 3 hours. I just knew I would fail the work well test and my stress level was so high my hands were shaking when I went in to give the sample for the drug test.

This next part is humiliating but oh well, it won’t be the first time I’ve humiliated myself on this forum. I went to give the “sample” and when I started to put the lid on it I promptly spilled it on my self. Sooooooooooooo there I was……. Stressed, late and now I had “piddle” on my pants. My stress level was so high at this point my blood pressure shot up to the highest it has ever been in my life and thus I’ll have to re-certify in a year.

The doctor who gave me the physical was a JEWEL. That woman spent time talking with me and encouraging me until I was relatively calm. But then it was time for the work well. Oh boy, it was easy enough for the average person but I’ll be very honest and say right now I almost completely gave up. If it hadn’t been for a fellow student who was testing at the same time as I was I would have. He was so kind and so encouraging. He looked me in the eye and said “you will not give up, you’ve done it twice and you CAN do it the third time”.

And that’s the very best part of this school so far: the other students. (Yes even the lurkers on this forum.) But I’ll get to them in a minute.

I passed the work well test and thus was allowed into the class. This week is classroom time and starting Friday we began taking exams. On Monday we go to the MVD and test for our beginners licenses. I was not finding enough time to study each day and so on Friday we had tests on material I’d not even read about yet. I was deeply grateful to have passed all the tests and my lowest score was an 84 on combinations. My general knowledge score was fairly good at 94 but then I’d studied most of it. However I was shocked and THRILLED to make a 100 on my airbrakes exam.

Today, Saturday, I made in the 90s on all my exams with my lowest score being a 91. I can’t express to y’all how challenging this has been to me to try and comprehend the theories behind things. Anyone who says this is easy is either lying or they’re gifted. But I now believe if I keep studying I’ll pass my tests at the MVD and get my license. Of course my fear then pipes up and reminds me I have to learn the practical portion. I’m still terrified of failing but I’m even more determined than I was before to do this despite my fears.

As to my classmates: What a mixture of people! There are only two women in the class and I am one of them. The men are a vast variety of ages and lifestyles. The thing that’s touched my heart is how open almost everyone is to each other and their willingness to help others. That first day when I was truly almost in tears, the ONLY way I made it through that day is because of the kindness of the others. There were a number of young men with nothing in common with me except that school who took the time to speak encouragement to me, a pat on the shoulder, a comment of “you can do it”. What amazing people they are.

I am an extremely shy person when face to face with strangers and I felt so different from the rest until they simply “invited” me into the class. I hope to know many of them for a very long time.

So that’s how my first four days have gone. I’m sure that every person in the class has had their own view and differing experience. (Oh I do so hope no one else spilled their “sample” on themselves!) But this is mine.

Nana, the woman who now understands air brakes.


P.S. You lurkers over at the hotel need to get back to studying.