I'm just driven to write this

When I was 11 years old my sister Ellen taught me to drive. She wasn't at the legal age to drive but had been driving quite a while, even in Nevada. At that time the cars had clutches, which you had to learn to use in connection with the accelerator to keep from lurching down the road. We had to push down on the clutch to change gears in the car. The gearshift was on the floor to the right of the driver and right in the way of the legs of the passenger in the middle of the front seat (or the girlfriend of the driver).

There were four gears in addition to neutral, which was in the middle of the four gears. You could check that the car was in neutral by moving the gearshift back and forth a little. If it moved easily the car was in neutral and it was safe to start the engine without the car moving forward. The four gears were first, second, third, and reverse. The driver moved the gearshift from first (upper right) to second (lower left), and then third or drive, which was lower right. If you wanted to back up you put the car in reverse which was upper left.

OK. I was 11 years old when I learned all that and it has been many years since my cars had a clutch, or that I had to use gears, but you get the idea that it was harder to drive then than now, although 40 mph was pretty fast and going 60 or 70 mph was unheard of except for stunt drivers. Let's do the math. I am 90 years old now. So I have been driving 79 years. I have only received one ticket and that was for not slowing down soon enough in the eastern edge of El Dorado Springs. I drove alone many times to Potosi, Mo., (240 miles) to lead an Elderhostel or Road Scholar group. Also Ellen and I drove together to Washington, D.C., and I drove to Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Nebraska, etc., for United Methodist Women's meetings by myself. You get the idea? I USED my driver's license, which I got for 25 cents in Nevada when I finally reached 16 years old.

So you can imagine how I felt when two different medical specialists said I shouldn't drive. That's not easy when you live around 7 miles from town. I have lots of family members nearby who CAN be allowed to drive, who say they don't mind. I think back to times when I drove each of my parents and then my sister, Miriam to town or to special events. I didn't mind. I got to meet lots of new people and ride in newer cars than mine.

Don't believe everything I write. I do mind. If I decide I want to drive into town and get something special for supper, I can't just hop in my car and go. And what's more the person who probably will drive me in, will talk me out of the special food I want and remind me there are still leftovers in the refrigerator. I knew that. I just wanted to go to town.

When I had the car at my disposal I was independent. I want to go where I want to go when I want to go and with whom I want to go. I want to make those decisions myself. I can drive as well as some of those who are being my chauffer. What does it matter that my hand shakes a bit on the steering wheel? I rarely get mixed up on my directions -- except maybe in bed, I think I am turned backwards. That wouldn't matter if I were driving. There are always signs that tell me which way to go.

Just because last week I said east when I meant west in my column is no reason to think I might go the wrong way if I were driving. When I get a little dizzy when I turn my head quickly doesn't mean that I would neglect to look both ways before crossing. Oh, wait, that's for pedestrians, isn't it?

But just to be on the safe side I will obey these specialists. I would hate for my ailment to cause trouble for someone else. Even though it drives me crazy to not be independent, I'll be a good "little old lady" and do what the doctor ordered.