"You have to try one of those."

"Mmm.."

"No, you have to try one."

"No."

"You have to try a Life-Saver. You have to!"

". . ."

"You're my life saver."

--

Here's the deal.

Tonight's post isn't going to be like the normal ones I usually write. No baby dinosaurs, no gross pee cockroaches. I doubt it's gonna be very funny, but I want to write it anyway. If you're not up for that, then you can just skip this one and wait for the next. I won't take it personally.
Promise. :)

Okay. Disclaimer out of the way, onto the post.

Today was the day my P license came through. (Yes, I did pass my driving test. A post about that is soon to come. Be patient.) Dad suggested I drive to dinner, since it wasn't far away.
I accepted the offer despite mum's clear reluctance to get into the car with me behind the wheel.

I have driven with mum in the car before, and each and every time, she screams and hides her face. Dad also tends to let out involuntary noises of what I can only describe as fear.

So off we went. Me, mum, dad, Adam and Grandma. Grandma actually had other dinner plans, but wanted to see me drive. It had rained and darkness was falling, so visibility wasn't the best.

I'd describe the short journey, but I wouldn't want to bore you guys to death. It wouldn't be fair, would it? No. Okay. Point made. Moving on.

I'm sure all parents are nervous when their kids are behind the wheel of a heavy machine, so I expected them to be on the edge of their seats, giving me instructions. It's completely understandable, right? Right.

What I found difficult was not crashing the car while they were both yelling different instructions at the same time, then berating me for trying to follow them. I'm not exaggerating. This is what happened.
I have to give dad credit for at least trying to be calm. He started falling apart towards the end, though.

Arrived at destination. Parked. Sat down at the table.

No one said anything about the ride over, which was fine with me. I actually didn't want to hear about it.

A few minutes passed.

Then my grandma leaned over,

"I'm proud of you. I believe you can do it."

I love her.

I smiled and thanked her. She was the only person in the car that didn't give me crap about anything. Yes. Even Adam had his say.

The conversation ended there, but I didn't stop thinking about what she said.

They let me drive home. By this time, it was really dark. Night dark. Yeah. More stress. When I agreed to drive, I knew I was setting myself up for that. But it still wasn't fun.
Normally, the frantic yelling doesn't get to me. But tonight, it did. I don't know why. It's not like it was the first time it happened.

I got everyone home safe, but it didn't feel like much of an accomplishment.

I don't think they realise, but my parents completely destroy my confidence when they talk to me like that. I know they're trying to help, but it's hard to see anything as helpful when it's presented like that.

My aunt came to pick Grandma up for dinner. She was driving the Myvi, and invited me to join them so that I could drive a smaller car, but I politely declined. I couldn't. Not tonight.
I do, however, completely appreciate the gesture. Really.

It's funny to joke about how my mum thinks she'll throw up if she lets me drive her around, but only for a while.
Then it gets annoying.

And tonight, it made me sad.