Delayed Reaction

Driving is fun. We all know that I have lots of fun driving, do we not?

Despite the fact that I have been a licensed driver since the beginning of June, I have actually yet to be permitted to drive on my own by my parents. Until I found a chance to get to yesterday. So here I am, abiding by all the rules: doing the speed limit, stopping at stop signs, wearing my seatbelt, bla bla bla. I don’t even get a mile away from my starting point and I get in a predicament. There was a bunch of large rocks randomly in the road. To my left was a whole bunch of big construction trucks hogging the road. To my right was a ditch. Truck, ditch, or rocks? I chose rocks.

A startling thump shook the car and I noticed immediately that the car was driving irregularly after that. Luckily there was one more exit close by before I had to go up the town’s hill, where I don’t think there would be another exit for a ways. Anyways, I pulled off into the parking lot of the local doctor’s office and checked my tires. I didn’t see anything wrong with them, so I got in the car and pulled forward again to see if it was still feeling weird. Yep.

Next time I get out of the car I check to see if the rock got lodged underneath of the car. Nope. Then I saw it. I must’ve skipped inspecting the driver side’s front tire. Sure enough, the tire was off the rim. So I freaked out ’cause this was my first time driving on my own and somehow the elements were already against me. If I’d have been a more experienced driver I could have probably found a way to avoid that situation, but I’m not. Perhaps if my parents LET me drive every now and then.

I seen an officer getting in his car from the doctors office and called out to him. He came over and said he’d do what he could. I called my mom from the phone inside the office to tell her what was going on. The officer and another guy had a jack and all the supplies needed to remove my tire in one of their vehicles. After they did that, they headed down to the local tire shop. I waited for what seemed to be forever, hoping to god that they didn’t randomly decide to just steal my tire and find it humorous or something. When they returned, they put my tire back on my car and said I was good to go. He even paid for the tire bill, since I didn’t have any money on me. I may complain that I hate people sometimes, but this was not one of those days. I was very thankful that I got the help that I did. It was embarrassing freaking out in front of the people in the waiting room as I called my mom, expecting to have my ear chewed off. It wasn’t entirely my fault, even though experience could have prevented it, therefore I am thankfully not grounded or anything. My mom actually reacted to the news 100% better than what I had expected. I was late for class, but that was an obvious detail.

My dad, of all people, found it humorous. On our way to town later that day he randomly jerked the wheel and went, “Oh my god! A rock!” Meanie. Hahahaha.

So now I avoid even suspicious looking leaves on my road, expecting some foreign object to be underneath it that could somehow cause my next incident. Perhaps it was a good thing that this did happen. I mean, it was nothing major, and it taught me the lesson that I definitely need to be more alert. I just wish I wasn’t so paranoid now.

We have another half day coming up, so I may get to talk my mom into letting me drive again. Unless I confirm the plans to go to Pizza Hut with my friends.

Who knows. As long as me, the car, and everyone else makes it home alive, I think all should be well.

Now I’m off to return comments =]

I hate rocks.