Bill's gift to me ... foresigth ...

Driving home tonight *groan* another late night at the office, I was reminded of the wonderful gifts Bill brought to my life.  How often have I taken driving myself here and there for granted? 

Sometime in April of 1985, Bill announced that it was time for me to get my driver's license.  Coming home after a long stay in a larger city where the busing and metro system suited my needs, I did not see the long-term benefits of getting my driver's license.  I was left a little deflated!  What?  You mean you want me to drive myself around?  Being the meager mouse I was when I first met Bill, I could only interpret this as, he wants his independence.  Now I know better.  He wanted ME to have MY independence!   What a different widowhood I would be living today, if he had not insisted on my getting my driver's permit.

I still remember the day I was to take my driver's test.  He met me at the school I was working in with his 1979 Trans Am.  He was wearing his black pants, white shirt with red tie and his black leather jacket.  *YUM* 

We drove to the driver's bureau and he said that I should go in and get my test started.  As I walked out with the driving inspector, Bill smiled and gave me an encouraging nod towards the car.  I walked around the car to give the inspector the impression that I was inspecting the car before the test.  The inspector got into the car and I sat behind the steering wheel.  As I looked up to the rear view mirror, I noticed that Bill had taken the time to put all of the mirrors out of whack!  I smiled and knew he was with me.  I then took the time to set all of my mirrors right, flicked the left hand signal and started off on my quest to get my permit.

                                                           

As we pulled up again to the driver's bureau, I could see Bill standing outside with his big grin.  During the test, the instructor had made me do a whole bunch of left hand turns and had me parallel park twice (something I could not do the night before if my life depended on), once on an incline then the second in front of someone's driveway which I had contested.  Once inside, I received my passing grade and knowing that if I had had to do it again, I would have been so much more nervous.

I walked out of the building *big toothy grin* and Bill insisted that I drive him back to work.  He was so very, very proud of ME!  I think that was the moment that I realized that he was not about himself but about me.

At the end of the day, we celebrated MY ... I mean OUR success.

Thank you Bill for having this foresigth!