So after the New Year , it was time for Qing to start learning how to Drive a Car . Something she has never done or let's say really needed to do , as the Public Transportation is very good in Shanghai . Sorry that I can not say 
that about our own here in California . Having no Car , just about leaves you stranded .. as nothing really is close .. including Food Shopping . One good thing that Qing actually never operated an Car is , she does not have any bad habit's that she brought over with her from China . So , W
e/I could start from a clean Plate .. so to speak . First thing that was needed , was getting her a Booklet from the DMV to study for the " Written " Test and get this out of the way . I gave her an English Copy , I had picked up at the DMV .. not knowing that these also come in Mandarin . Living in Southern Calif . , I figured .. Spanish , French but never Chinese . They actually have many Languages ( more than twenty ) available to study from . After weeks of hard work studying the English version ( which was difficult for my LaoPo ) , we got hold of an Chinese Version from my Aunt .A friend at a Chinese Buffet Restaurant also gave Qing all four different Test question's and answer sheet's that he and some of his friends went through . This made things so much easier , chinese Booklet and to know what answers would be ask of her . This was proven to be correct , as Qing passed the " Written " Test with a perfect score of 100 . All this in just about 9 to 10 minutes , which I recall were 36 questions and one could have 6 wrong and still pass . The Lady checking her answers , was somewhat shocked to see what she saw .. in such a short time and all right .
I of course was very proud of Qing , after all .. she did NOT cheat .. only had some advantage over other's .
Next , to make an Appointment for the " Driving " Test . This had given us about somewhat more than two month's of the Driving Practise that was to come . First it was only around the Neighborhood and onto no major Road with Speed Limit's over 35 mph . I really wanted Qing to be real comfortable and know all the in and outs of safe driving ( turns , parking , u-turns and at the same time pay attention to all the Road sign's too . At the start , I could see that she was very tense/nervous and it even started to give her Headaches from it . This went on , until " I " felt relaxed and did not have to repeat or warn her of things not to do . Now , I thought .. she's ready for some more Speed other than 35 or less . Doing this , of course called for faster thinking and quicker reactions to everything she's learned so far . It was almost like starting all over , with the exception .. it took only a few day's before she would handle this also comfortably and in a safe manner . One day , driving at dusk .. I thought .. it's time to take her on to the Freeway for a short Run . As I knew , traffic was going to be light and not frighten her out of the Car or " Me " to jump out . Again , the tense look overtook her Face .. after I told her .. we're on the Freeway . She did not realize this until it was too late of course . I was kind of mean to do this , without telling her first of my intention to take her there . Well , we all survived with no scratches or dent's to the Car . A few more weeks of this fast pace and I thought .. she is ready for her Test now . Time to make this Appointment and pick a day , that I would have to take off Work . I think , that on that day .. I was more nervous then she was . Here we finally are , all ready in the Driving Test lane and waiting for the Examiner . One thing , we did not count on .. was the Weather for that day . At earlier practise's , I found out .. Qing hates the Windshield Wiper's . This makes her sooo nervous , that we stopped practising whenever it would start to Rain . So , what happens to poor Qing on Test Day ? Yes , the only dark Cloud around .. had to be over the DMV Building and the Test Area of course . I tell you , as soon the Examiner got into the Car .. it started to Rain . I only could think to myself , oh oh .. not good ! Well , her Test Drive lasted no more then .. about 4 minutes as she freaked out and made a mistake on the first Corner of her Test and failed it right there .. that there was no need to continue it . I did not have to be told of what had happened , I knew and we both just about started to Cry along with the darn Rain that stopped only twenty minutes later . Somebody up there , did not want her to pass the Test today ! I know , God had a reason for that and I was not going to argue this in any way . Maybe it was to protect my Sweetheart from Harm , tell her .. you need more Practise . We both could live with this and even though it was hard on Qing , we went back to work to do it for a second time later . This time , before we make an Appointment , we check with the Weather Report first . This will not get in our way again . This Ordeal , had cost us a Trip to beautiful Carmel/ Monterey for our Anniversary that I had to cancel because Qing was in NO mood to go and have Fun in any way . I can totally understand " Now " . I say that , because .. this calling off our " Romantic " Trip , had cost our first bad Blood in our Relationship .
This I will write about on the next Part 3 of this continuous Story .
that about our own here in California . Having no Car , just about leaves you stranded .. as nothing really is close .. including Food Shopping . One good thing that Qing actually never operated an Car is , she does not have any bad habit's that she brought over with her from China . So , W
e/I could start from a clean Plate .. so to speak . First thing that was needed , was getting her a Booklet from the DMV to study for the " Written " Test and get this out of the way . I gave her an English Copy , I had picked up at the DMV .. not knowing that these also come in Mandarin . Living in Southern Calif . , I figured .. Spanish , French but never Chinese . They actually have many Languages ( more than twenty ) available to study from . After weeks of hard work studying the English version ( which was difficult for my LaoPo ) , we got hold of an Chinese Version from my Aunt .A friend at a Chinese Buffet Restaurant also gave Qing all four different Test question's and answer sheet's that he and some of his friends went through . This made things so much easier , chinese Booklet and to know what answers would be ask of her . This was proven to be correct , as Qing passed the " Written " Test with a perfect score of 100 . All this in just about 9 to 10 minutes , which I recall were 36 questions and one could have 6 wrong and still pass . The Lady checking her answers , was somewhat shocked to see what she saw .. in such a short time and all right .I of course was very proud of Qing , after all .. she did NOT cheat .. only had some advantage over other's .
Next , to make an Appointment for the " Driving " Test . This had given us about somewhat more than two month's of the Driving Practise that was to come . First it was only around the Neighborhood and onto no major Road with Speed Limit's over 35 mph . I really wanted Qing to be real comfortable and know all the in and outs of safe driving ( turns , parking , u-turns and at the same time pay attention to all the Road sign's too . At the start , I could see that she was very tense/nervous and it even started to give her Headaches from it . This went on , until " I " felt relaxed and did not have to repeat or warn her of things not to do . Now , I thought .. she's ready for some more Speed other than 35 or less . Doing this , of course called for faster thinking and quicker reactions to everything she's learned so far . It was almost like starting all over , with the exception .. it took only a few day's before she would handle this also comfortably and in a safe manner . One day , driving at dusk .. I thought .. it's time to take her on to the Freeway for a short Run . As I knew , traffic was going to be light and not frighten her out of the Car or " Me " to jump out . Again , the tense look overtook her Face .. after I told her .. we're on the Freeway . She did not realize this until it was too late of course . I was kind of mean to do this , without telling her first of my intention to take her there . Well , we all survived with no scratches or dent's to the Car . A few more weeks of this fast pace and I thought .. she is ready for her Test now . Time to make this Appointment and pick a day , that I would have to take off Work . I think , that on that day .. I was more nervous then she was . Here we finally are , all ready in the Driving Test lane and waiting for the Examiner . One thing , we did not count on .. was the Weather for that day . At earlier practise's , I found out .. Qing hates the Windshield Wiper's . This makes her sooo nervous , that we stopped practising whenever it would start to Rain . So , what happens to poor Qing on Test Day ? Yes , the only dark Cloud around .. had to be over the DMV Building and the Test Area of course . I tell you , as soon the Examiner got into the Car .. it started to Rain . I only could think to myself , oh oh .. not good ! Well , her Test Drive lasted no more then .. about 4 minutes as she freaked out and made a mistake on the first Corner of her Test and failed it right there .. that there was no need to continue it . I did not have to be told of what had happened , I knew and we both just about started to Cry along with the darn Rain that stopped only twenty minutes later . Somebody up there , did not want her to pass the Test today ! I know , God had a reason for that and I was not going to argue this in any way . Maybe it was to protect my Sweetheart from Harm , tell her .. you need more Practise . We both could live with this and even though it was hard on Qing , we went back to work to do it for a second time later . This time , before we make an Appointment , we check with the Weather Report first . This will not get in our way again . This Ordeal , had cost us a Trip to beautiful Carmel/ Monterey for our Anniversary that I had to cancel because Qing was in NO mood to go and have Fun in any way . I can totally understand " Now " . I say that , because .. this calling off our " Romantic " Trip , had cost our first bad Blood in our Relationship .
This I will write about on the next Part 3 of this continuous Story .
No comments:
Post a Comment