Fardosa Adan

ENG 101
Personal Narrative
October 2022 01

Going behind the wheel

I have always dreamt of owning a car and being independent.
One of the first things to accomplish in realizing this dream was
to get a driver's permit and to later, own a car. The most
important first step was to persuade my father to let me
practice driving before I hit the road. My father, being a law-
abiding person, insisted that I first land my hands on a drivers’
permit and then he could teach me the art after that. Getting a
driver’s license is key to independence and survival in the
.United States
So, the next day, I headed to the Department of Motor Vehicles
and requested to go through the process of obtaining a driver’s
permit. The clerk made me complete the formalities and sat me
on a knowledge test. As unprepared as I was, I failed at the test.
It was a major setback for me but nevertheless motivated me
further to pursue my dream. As I failed the test, the clerk
seated near the exit door gave me a booklet to make it better
the next time. I returned to the office in a matter of a few days
and alas! I cleared the test. My joy knew no bounds! I was
dreaming of working during the summertime, running family
errands, and staying late at my friend’s house with this
.newfound independence
Once home, I informed my dad of this new earned qualification
and my eagerness to get going with it. My dad, on the other
hand, insisted that he would accompany me for a practice drive
only when he returned home. I put forward my case insisting
that my dad would be tired, the sun would be down by the time
he returned from the day’s work. But dad was quite firm about
his decision and wouldn’t relent. Eventually, I gave up and
.settled for an early morning session the next day
When I woke up early the next morning, dad accompanied me
to the drive. As would happen, my dad was nagging and
reprimanding me for each wrong move that I made. From
possible head-on collisions to bumping into other cars to
landing in a road crater, my dad’s words triggered a series of
fear factors within me. My self-confidence took a bad hit and
declared that I couldn’t drive anymore. My dad took over. After
that, for a brief period, I lost the desire to drive. Each time I
need to commute in a car, I would seek the services of my
.younger sibling
As I progressed in life, I imagined driving a car when I got
married. As if it were dreams coming true, my husband bought
me a car and occasionally took me out for practice drives. That
boosted my confidence and now I was able to finally drive a
.car. My car
As time passed, I was blessed with a daughter. Driving was rare
for me now. I was more dependent on public transport. On one
occasion, during the Eid celebrations, my little daughter
insisted that I got her a dress from a nearby mall. While my
husband was at work at that time and the fastest bus ride
would have taken at least two hours for a round trip, the driver
in me was ready in no time. I looked at our car parked in our
driveway- it had gathered some rust over time but that was no
deterrent. I got into the car, seated my daughter, and got
.……behind the wheel