Hamilton stamped his foot on the gas pedal, then the brake, narrowly avoiding a foam cut-out of a dancer.
“Son, if you want to get your driver’s license, you have to be able to avoid obstacles,” Hamilton’s father said, his calm tone only infuriating Hamilton.
It’s more likely I’ll find myself in someone’s swimming pool than successfully getting my driver’s license and seeing the sprawling green countryside, Hamilton thought to himself.
“Why do I have to do this stuff?” Hamilton had a fire burning in his eyes as he tried to turn around in an impossibly tiny parking lot.
“If you’re going to do something, do it right,” his father instructed, “a wise man once said; ‘there are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going.’”
“I don’t know about you, but I want to go to the countryside by myself, and there are plenty shortcuts to get there.” Hamilton knew he was back talking, which would get him in trouble, but he was so irate he didn’t care.
“You, young man, are not ready to be driving. I will drive us home,” Hamilton’s father exclaimed sternly.
When Hamilton’s father took over the wheel, he pushed his foot on the gas pedal.
Vroom! Vroom!
The car didn’t move, it just continued to make racecar-esque noises.
“Dad? It’s in neutral,” Hamilton chimed in, trying to hold back his laughter.
“I knew that,” his father said.
*****
Later, after Hamilton’s driving test, he returned home, his spirits soaring like a majestic and proud seagull that has just stolen someone’s lunch and is very pleased with itself.
“I passed!” Hamilton exclaimed triumphantly to his mother.
“Hmm,” mused his mother “that’s wonderful news, dear. Did you know your father failed his driver’s test three times before he passed?”
“WHAT!?” Hamilton was so angry, and he felt like a volcano that was about to erupt. His mother, completely oblivious, contemplated the thought of putting broccoli in that night’s stew. Hamilton’s majestic spirit-bird crashed into the wall of skyscraper, and came back down to earth.
“That’s why he wanted you to learn everything before you went for your test. He didn’t want you to be humiliated by your friends when you didn’t pass,” Hamilton’s mother said absently.
Maybe dad wanted the best for me after all, thought Hamilton.
“I’m going to apologize to dad,” Hamilton stated, rather matter-of-factly.
“Okay dear. Pass the broccoli, will you?”
I enjoyed reading your story. Loved the beginning and the relationship between the father and son. Very realistic and accurately portrayed. You really worked hard to develop the story and have the characters come to a new understanding or realization at the end. One line that is confusing or out of place is the line near the end about the skyscraper.
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