For most of yesterday, I was as a license-less student, a mere permit-holding driver. At a quarter after three yesterday afternoon, I sat in line for the driver’s exam in Norristown. The place looked familiar – I had been there with my driving instructor twice. Nonetheless, it was unsettling to watch the two cars ahead of me take the test. There were quite a few things on my mind:
Firstly, my driving instructor had been clear: there is an examiner employed there, who has the reputation of being a big meany – meaning that he has failed almost every person taking the test. That was enough to send a tiny shiver down my spine, afraid of having this guy with me in the car. I did not even know what he looked like, so how would I be able to recognize him? As I said, there were two cars in line in front of me. An older, pleasant-looking man approached the first car and began testing the student inside, asking him to turn on the headlights. I prayed a million times over in my head that I would be with someone nice for my test.
Second, it was weird being able to watch the two students in front of me take their test. I saw them parallel park, then drive off towards a stop sign, loop around the building, and go into the street. I kept thinking how the car behind me would be watching me! And so would my parents. What if I messed up? What if my parallel parking was not as good as I thought it was? What if I failed? Everyone would be watching.
Third: the last but most important issue was that I really wanted this license. I really did. It was not the fact that most of my friends have their licenses. It was not the fact that I would be independent if I was able to drive (okay, maybe a little). The reason I really wanted my license was because I would be able to drive my little brother to swim practice every day. I wanted to have fun with him in the car, just the two of us! In the coming weeks before this fateful day, we had talked about the road trips we were going to take together and dreamed about having adventures with our car.
So I took my exam. My prayers were miraculously answered somehow and that nice examiner came to my car. His slight stuttering made everything he said sound so sweet – I just smiled throughout the whole test. I even went so slow on the street that he told me I could go faster, as he nervously eyed the line of cars following me. Out of my nervousness, I forgot to turn off the headlights from the first part of the test, where the examiner checked on my knowledge of the car. So I drove around in a sunny afternoon with my headlights on, but the friendly examiner did not notice.

Finally, it was time for him to announce hts deciison. I held my breath as I awaited the verdict. Then, all the air was knocked out of me when I heard him tell me that I had passed! Everything had turned out okay. I shook the examiner’s hand, and stood in line to get my picture – of course, I turned out deathly pale and creepily staring into the camera, but I am too happy to care.  Later that afternoon, I did drive my brother to swim practice. We played music and sang along together, we laughed and talked. And when he met up with his friends outside the pool, I saw him talking excitedly, pointing to me in the car. When I picked him up, he told me that he had told all of his swim friends and the coaches too. I smiled and we drove back home, ready for an adventure.