License to drive

Jim and I had the unusual opportunity for a Friday night date this weekend. As it turned out, Carter was at a sleepover so we were free to do as we pleased.

We had already planned to go to Golden Sands Speedway outside of Wisconsin Rapids to see Jim's nephew Colin Reffner race. My stepson Casey also wanted to go so he volunteered to pick us up and chauffeur us to the races. Now that's going out in style!

I didn't remember until I got into the backseat that this was the first time I had ridden with him. (He just got his license a month ago.) He seemed pretty relaxed and handled the stick shift well. I was impressed until he pulled out from a stop sign in the path of a car I (and Dad) thought was going pretty fast. "What? I had all day," he said. Teenagers know everything, don't they?

We enjoyed the races. Colin, who is only 13 (talk about worrying your mother) and racing a 4-cylinder car, finished fifth in his race. And I'm happy to report we made it to and from the races safe and sound. I white-knuckled it a bit, but I think it will get better. I'm sure I put my parents through the same thing.

I can remember driving with my dad when I passed a car for the first time and cut right back in front of it with little room to spare. I got quite a talking to from Dad.

Of course, this is from the same guy who when I was riding with him, coasted through a stop sign and told me the ones with white borders are "optional."

I guess for every teen with a driver's license, there is an adult with a license to B.S.