June 12, 2002 // 8:50 a.m. // Driving us crazy (yeah, I know it's lame)

My sister is learning to drive. And because her less than 24 hour old permit gives her the right to drive with a licensed adult, I was nominated (by process of elimination) to accompany her as a passenger.

Seeing her sit in the driver's seat is beyond weird. It doesn't feel normal. But I must say, she is quite the driver. She didn't even hit my car when pulling out of the tight space left by the Taurus and the Wrangler.

I didn't even feel worried driving with her. That surprised me. I think the reason she is such a good driver is because for years, my dad has let her take vehicles out on various excursions around the neighborhood.

Whereas when I was learning to drive, I was really learning to drive. The first time I drove during drivers education was truly my first time driving. I came within inches of not passing the road test. I can hear the instructor now:

"Just make this right hand turn correctly, and you've passed."

It took me a good six months or so to master driving. She's already at that level 11 days before her 16th birthday.

Sorry, I get sidetracked.

And where did we go? Hollywood Video of course. She wanted to rent "American Pie 2" and "Riding in Cars with Boys". It should be noted that we saw Mandie as well, but she either didn't see us or didn't recognize us.

The line of the night from my sister:

"What is that car doing driving through the parking lot with its lights off?"

Moments later, we get to the car. She starts it, spends a few minutes on the cumbersome seatbelt, and pulls out.

She forgets to turn her lights on, and with that quote running through my head, I do my best not to tell her.

Fortunately, it hit her as she looked at her speedometer that the lights weren't on.

What's even funnier is that is so very her. To notice something that someone else is or isn't doing, and then to do the same thing herself.

My guess is I'll be doing a lot of driving with her. She has to get 30 hours in before she gets her license. I just don't want her to return home with a, "I ran over people's backpacks", or "I hit the classroom trailer" story like I witnessed from the class of 2000's future drivers four years ago.

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