Personal Narrative: Stepping Out Of The Driving School

As I walked out of Cazares Driving school, I looked at my mom in disappointment and embarrassment. I never wanted to return to that awful place. All I wanted to do was curl up in a little ball and I didn't want anyone else to know what I had done. I didn't even want to hear what my mom had to say. As I entered the car I could feel my face burning like hell surely enough it was red like an apple. I was trying to hide my face in the palms of my hands as I imagined all the remarks my mom and brothers had to make. "Darling how could we have miscalculated six months?"
My disheartened reply to every question was, "I don't know!"

I knew this was a sign, I had to fail. I imagined how my brother and sister were going to make me feel. They had

teased me about studying hard for my permit test. And when I was about to get it I had not failed the test, but failed to go on the correct day.

Two months later, all of the fears that had ran through my veins had returned. I asked my self " Am I going to fail? Was I going to get the same, strict instructor?" As I slide out of the car and slowly shut the door, I could only wish that the same person wouldn't be there when I had attempted to take my driving test last time. With that thought running through my head, my brain was in overdrive. I tried to zone out the negative stories I heard by telling myself, "I can do this. I just drove through north Mcallen and I did perfectly fine."

Obviously, the fear of failure kept popping in my head and I couldn't get rid of it. Cautiously, I made my way to the entrance of the driving school building. All that I illustrated was the instructor with slanted eyebrows that had a wrinkle between his two eyes. I just imagined his evil laugh when he failed me. Walking through the small hallway with signs to guide me to the right place, I read every sign hoping that the one that read "DRIVERS LISCENCE" would be closed. The hallway seemed like it was a mile long and I knew that I was just approaching the last few doors. I looked down at the ground before I entered the room; when I looked up, I was confronted with the evil instructor. Lucky me, I had heard so many terrifying stories about his challenges when driving. With those thoughts in my mind, along with the thought of failure I had no way out.

I tried to make myself comfortable in the seats that were lined up against the wall. It seemed I was sitting in an electric chair doomed for failure. My feet were swaying back and forth so it was obvious I was nervous. For one second I remembered my mom had told me on the way down not to let the instructor know I was nervous because then he would think that I was not ready to get my license. Obviously I had already failed at that.

I waited with anticipation for the line of people ahead of me to slowly shorten. When I finally arrived at the front of the line, the room seemed to be spinning, and I felt like I was going to pass out. Hoping that feeling would pass soon, I leaned on the desk. I realized that I had made the situation ten times worse than it really was, and I was ready to get the test over with.

With all the paper work out of the way, the instructor and I started out to the car. I looked one last time at the place where I would hopefully be returning to with my license. With all the nerves trembling inside of me, I knew that each obstacle I came across would be ten times worse than what it really was. As we approached the car, I kept on thinking of all the things that could possibly go wrong and the worst was failing the test.

After testing the blinkers, the instructor was ready to begin the test. I pulled out of the parking lot, and was told to make a right turn. My mind went blank, and I couldn't even remember which way was left and right. I formed both my index fingers and my thumbs into the shape of an L hoping this would point me in the right direction I felt like a total idiot by having to do this.

I came to the first stop sign. Was this the sign that would make me fail? I approached the sign and spelled out the word S.T.O.P. My sister said this was the best way to know that you have made a complete stop, something that a number of people had failed the test for in the past. Making a left turn, we were making our way into North Mcallen where the stoplights were. The instructor instructed me to make another left turn. There was a car in front of me, so I figured that I was safe to do what the car ahead of me was doing. I followed the car into the right lane. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the instructor writing on his blank piece of paper. Right then, I knew that I had to do something wrong.

After driving for what seemed like an eternity, we headed back to the driving school building.

I parked the car and removed the keys from the ignition. While stepping out of the car, I looked at the paper that he had been taking notes on, and noticed that the blank piece of paper was no longer blank. With barely an inch to spare at the bottom of the paper, the instructor began explaining to me all the things I had done wrong. I felt like a little girl because of all the drawings he had made explaining every mistake. As I walked behind the instructor like a zombie, not knowing if that thought of failing the test was really going to come true, I could feel the color draining from my face. I was terrified I had waited so long for this moment and I knew all I did was wrong. I already knew what my mom was going to say when I saw her, of course the first words out of her mouth were "Did you pass?"

I shrugged my shoulders hoping the instructor would answer the question. His reply was the same as mine, a shoulder shrug. Right at that moment all I wanted to do was break down and cry. I sat on the chair just as embarrassed as the time when I came in on the wrong day. I knew that I couldn't return to that dreadful place a third time. When I thought things couldn't go any worse, the instructor asked me to stand in front of the blue screen and get my picture. I thought that was picture was for the wall of shame. He printed out the picture and said, "Drive

careful!"

I was speechless! As I walked down the ramp I looked at my mom with excitement and relief. I was so proud of myself for going back and facing my fear of that awful place. I know now that whatever I put my mind to I can do even if it is as scary as passing your driving test with an evil instructor.