No Tran-Quill-ity!
Teaching your kids to drive is a hair raising experience no matter how you look at it. Doing three at a time… well it’s a triple hair raising endeavor!! I’m trying to approach it like a heavy weight lifting work out. I take big breaths in as I prepare for the the outing and exhale out on exertion as we hit the road!! Once in the car, I try my level best to stay calm, encouraging, supportive, and only interfere when an imminent catastrophe is in my cross bow! As we roll along I impart bits and pieces of my own experience and wisdom to them. While I thought I had covered most topics from pedestrians, inclement weather, crosswalks, merging, hydroplaning, etc etc I had not planned for what came across our path the other night. We were just a couple blocks from home; I was looking out my side window not paying attention to the road as I was beginning to relax after what had been a successful driving lesson – no accidents or casualties!! When out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of this rather large round wobbly movement come right out in front of our car – a large porcupine!! As the seconds pass it seems more and more clear to me that my son had missed his opportunity to stop and let the critter pass by safely. Visions of four flat tires flooded my mind. The calm, supportive driving instructor immediately vanished and I became a screaming lunatic yelling at the top of my lungs for him to STOP!! Our car came to a screeching halt but there was no sign of the porcupine. As we sat in silence I began thinking about my next move being the calm and collected mother I am!! Do I go out to inspect the damages to the porcupine, to our car, risk getting quills, call for help? And just like that, the porcupine waddled out from underneath the front of the car and continued to cross the street along his merry way, unscathed.
Now I’ve been thinking that a lesson on skunks is in order considering my luck!
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