You passed your drivers license road test today

and that was the easiest part.

In between our phone texting
back and forth
the days before the road test appointment
I was confused and realized
I did not have your social security card or number
and neither did you.

and as we got to the DMV place
I tried calling my accountant
but you have not been on my taxes for years
so we got ahold of your mom
but that did not work either
because her important papers were at home.

I also had to put on a rear view window
that was knocked off when your sister was in a car accident with my vehicle
a year ago
and as I was trying to see if it was steady enough
to pass the test
and then the mirror broke off
in my hands
and fell to the floor

being upset
and angry at myself
at first not having your social security card
and now not having a car suitable for the drivers exam
was probably not the best recipe
for helping you pass your drivers test

There was a person from your high school
who I had a connection with
she had won the Spelling Bee
three years in a row and
helped us out with our Spelling Bee fundraiser at work
and I had met her father.
She was not ready for her road test
it was clear, but she was going to do it anyways
just another reminder that I know too many people
from my work

and before we had a chance to finish the conversation
a student of mine
was also there with her boyfriend
and she had been driving a long time
without a license
but she did not exactly know the rules
like "Y" turn
and decided to run outside to see how it was done
after you were nice enough to
try to explain it to her.

but my son, you did it
you passed the road test
even though you lost points
for not looking at the cross traffic
and checking your mirrors
more then once

you earned your license
despite all I tried not to do
in a clumsily fatherly way
to have you fail

like I did my first time
I took the road test