Friday, April 13, 2007

Friday the 13th, a day to remember

I'm not a superstitious person. But on August 13, 1993, I instilled the fear of Friday the 13th in a driving test distributor at the DMV in Utah County. I was 16 years and 4 plus months and had failed my original driving test taken with the high school instructors. I was to retake it this one fateful day.

At the DMV, they had a mini driving range. It had a four way stop, a traffic light, railroad crossing, parallel parking, and random cement posts and traffic cones. I remember my driving test guy had only one hand and I tried really hard not to look at him so he wouldn't think I was staring. I chatted all friendly with him about how excited I was to finally be retaking my test and how I couldn't wait to have a license and I picked out a cute shirt for my picture.

Then the test started. He instructed me to drive along this way, turn here, follow the traffic signs, etc. I accidentally ran the red light, hit the post doing the U-turn, pulled onto the tracks and then backed up when the train was coming, backed up over the curb and would've hit the invisible car in parallel parking, and even ran down a traffic cone. This poor man was visibly shaking when we were all done. He looked at me and said (and I paraphrase because I can't remember exactly), "That was the worst test I have ever seen. I'm assuming it's because it's Friday the 13th and that you can actually drive better than that. You did this and this and this wrong. But I'm going to sign for your license because I NEVER want to see you again. And you better promise me that you will practice everyday and not commit such driving sins on the actual road." So I promised him and happily went in and got my license picture taken and hopped in the car with my dad. I didn't tell Dad anything the man said of course and so Dad let me drive home. :)

What about you? Any fun Friday the 13th memories?

4 comments:

A. said...

Soo...It's driving instructors like that who are putting crazy drivers on the road. :P

No fun Friday the 13th stories for me, but the number 13 has always been my favorite number.

Smockity Frocks said...

Our baby was born on Friday the 13th last year!

Scribbit said...

No, but your opening paragraph made me chuckle! Love to hear more about that story!

lizbit said...

oh my! I totally missed a Friday the 13th! darn. It used to be tradition for me to watch the movie "Watcher in the Woods" every Friday the 13th. It's been a while, though.