Driving Miss Daisy

Yesterday was the second Thursday of the month...that may mean many things to you folks, but here at the courthouse that is Secretary of State day, from 10am-2pm.  I went downstairs to get postage on some mail and I saw the row of chairs full of senior citizens, patiently waiting for their turn to take their driving test.  I couldn't help but think of my grandma.

The last few years she held her driver's license I brought her for the test a couples times.  She always insisted she come here to take it, where she was comfortable.  I completely understood then and still do.  It's obviously a common theme because we have people lining up downstairs by 8:30 or 9:00 on the second Thursday of the month to get a jump on the crowd...and the majority of that crowd are 75+ years old, just guessing.

The secret is to hang out until about 1:00, then pop in.  No one is waiting.  I had to renew some stickers yesterday and walked right in at 1:25, paid and received the stickers in about two minutes.  It was great.  I even commented on the large crowd of seniors and talked about my grandma.  "She always drove a truck and she talked a lot."  You could see the look of recognition in their grin.  Yep, I think they remember her too...

The times I remember bringing her, it was much like her doctor appointments - lots of chatting and loud laughing.  I now wonder if that wasn't a clever distraction.  She was always so nervous about the test, maybe she was trying to butter up the folks administering it!  I must admit, I was also nervous about her passing the driving portion (I certainly didn't want to be the one driving her home upset) or hitting someone else in the process.

I think she did have trouble one year when she was unable to make it over here on the second Thursday and had to go elsewhere, but in the end she walked away with a driver's license.  I want to say she tested at least until she was 91 or maybe 92, but I could be wrong.

So Grandma was on my mind a lot yesterday.  As I drove home, one of her quirky sayings popped into my head.  It was one I had not thought of forever and I didn't include in my little tribute to her at her funeral.  It shocks me that I didn't remember it because as I repeat it over and over, I can hear her say it just like she was sitting beside me..."Well, I de - clare" (insert loud cackle here and/or maybe a knee slap).

You can hear it too, can't you?