Congratulations to Me

I find myself walking a great deal these days. Melba and I could easily have counted off 25 miles since we first set foot here. We have had to walk to so many office around base to take care of the stack of paperwork the navy requires. I could master the pick-up and stop schedule of the free bus on the base here, but I need the exercise. I've got 180 pounds stacked on this little Mexican frame. This morning I was scheduled to take my driving test at 10:15. I walked from the Naval Lodge through the maze of housing, high rises, offices, parking lots, and retail outlets that make up the Yokosuka base to get to the testing site. The walk is a little over a mile and it doesn't do me any harm. At a brisk pace I got there in 25 minutes. Arriving at the test center I learned that only one other person besides myself would be driving at that time.

Mind you, no practice driving of any sort is offered before this driving test. The gear shift is on the left side of the steering column, the blinkers are on the right, and I have to remind myself to look at the kilometers per hour and not the mph. And think LEFT SIDE OF ROAD.

We and the instructor step out into the parking lot and he points to me and say, "You drive first, please." I immediately make my first mistake when I start walking over to the car's left side door before I chuckle to myself and make the correction. A quick whispered prayer under my breath and I step into the car. Strapping myself in behind the steering wheel, right side I remind you, I look to my left at the instructor, a young, slight man with wire-rimmed glasses, and ask if I should start the car now. Yes, he says. The driving will be done entirely on-base.

Pulling out of the parking lot into the light traffic I perform the customary stop, go, left, right, and yield operations. I don't think I drove but five minutes when the Japanese instructor says to me, "Okay, you stop car. You do fine, okay," and that was it. Just like that, I passed.

If you ask me I think the Japanese authorities just licensed another dangerous American motorist.