Did I tell you that Anth and I have got ourselves a car each?
I have got an all-American Ford Explorer. It's quite a few years old, with plenty of character and gets me to work and back no problem. I bought it from a guy down the road called Brian after a daunting negotiation that involved Brian, Brian's wife and Brian's two daughters! He laid the emotion on thick but I held out and got a hundred bucks off.
Anth has gone for a VW Routan. Nothing American about that.....but it has got 7 seats and about twice as many gagdets which keep Eva and Louis distracted.
So, it was then a case of facing up to the prospect of the US driving test. A mere formality we'd been told by our British friends. So off we went to the driving centre, filled in some paperwork and I - deciding to show Anth how it's done - went first............and failed!
It turned out that Anth had the wrong ID so she didn't get her turn.
It turned out that Anth had the wrong ID so she didn't get her turn.
I gave my pride a few days to recover, went back to the driving centre.....and failed again!
My pride really dented now, I was driving home from work a couple of days later when, I saw in my mirror a police car chasing up the road with blue lights flashing. Turns out he's chasing me! I pull over and he gets out, steps up to my window and shines his flashlight in my face. A scene straight out of the movies I'm thinking. I was doing 64mph.....and this was on the motorway! Of course, he asks for my drivers licence so I had no choice but to give him the whole 'double-failure' story. He looks dubious when I tell him I failed the first time; downright incredulous when I admit to the second one. He asks me if I am actually qualified to drive. "Yes Sir" I say and produce my UK drivers licence. He looks at it for what feels like ages, shines his flashlight back in my face and says......."welcome to the colonies"
Was that banter? Had he heard of the world-famous English sense of humour? Should I riposte with "your steering wheels are on the wrong side" or some such witticism?
Despite the temptation, I said nothing grateful to escape the $1,000 speeding fine and drove home at 55mph.
Despite the temptation, I said nothing grateful to escape the $1,000 speeding fine and drove home at 55mph.
2 comments:
Hi Stu, really cute pics of Gabby, can't wait to meet her!
Love your stories - stay out of trouble with the feds, and third time lucky with your test.
xx
Hi long lost friends,
It's so lovely to hear your news and see pics of Gabby on the blog - I have finally managed to master the technology to post a comment (not that hard is it, really). She's absolutely gorgeous, belated congratulations!
Anth - 6 of us NCT-ers met up on Thurs, and I was so aware of your absence that I wanted to let you know how much you were missed. Loving Stu's blogtastic updates & pics of you all, hoping life with 3 kids is as fun as you make it seem. (Our no.3 due in July!)
Hope to catch up at length soon, loads of love, Amy xxx
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