Driving

When parking, remember to use the breaks.

I've gone 40 mph in the car recently, but this time I am a legally "permitted" driver. My dad and I have been driving 2-4 hours a day, religiously. For someone who hates riding in the car, driving is quite enjoyable. The stick; however, that damn stick shift. In the pursuit of knowledge and mastery, I will have most definitely burned the clutch to the point of replacement. I'm a very self-conscious driver, always concerned that others will honk me as I stall out in the middle of the cross walk. To add insult to injury, Rhode Island drivers have a respect for the rules and the road akin to the ubiquitous massholes we all know and avoid. I have this weird sense of pride driving a stick. Because of circumstance, I must learn to drive with a standard. That's all we own. For two years my friend made fun of me for being unable to drive. The tables have turned now. I can't wait for the fateful day when my friends come for a ride and the witness a clean shift from 1st to 2nd gear. Given my performance anxiety, that day exists in the very distant future.