Driving a Lesson
High school story. (1,000 words)10 total reviews
Comment from Karen Cherry Threadgill
I enjoyed reading your story immensely. It had humor, joy, fear, understanding, and gratitude. You had a good Dad. You were lucky. I never took to motorbikes, the vibrations hurt me. I always had a weak back. I rode a bicycle, but no lawnmowers either, vibrations, I didn't mind being unable to mow at all. I would mow at Pa's house because he had an old-fashioned mower run by people power. Good writing, brought back memories. Karen
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I enjoyed reading your story immensely. It had humor, joy, fear, understanding, and gratitude. You had a good Dad. You were lucky. I never took to motorbikes, the vibrations hurt me. I always had a weak back. I rode a bicycle, but no lawnmowers either, vibrations, I didn't mind being unable to mow at all. I would mow at Pa's house because he had an old-fashioned mower run by people power. Good writing, brought back memories. Karen
Comment Written 03-Oct-2023
Comment from Paul Manton
Well, well, that was a clever thing to maintain for an entire teaching career, Mr. Reid. When I began teaching in the 1960s, all teachers used the cane. I watched an entire class of 14 year old girls being caned for dishonesty and at school I had 'three of the best' for not telling the head the names of people smoking on the school bus. (I was an innocent party!) For my pains (literally) I became one of the most popular students in the school - well worth it!
Your story of the Rabbit and all it entailed was worth a six, because you made the narrative work so well. I was engrossed for the whole blog - though I wonder if you really did wet yourself, since surely that would have been the most embarrassing thing of all!
The little speech of Mr. Reid at the end is priceless, and a particularly good conclusion. But the footnote is best of all.
Paul
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Well, well, that was a clever thing to maintain for an entire teaching career, Mr. Reid. When I began teaching in the 1960s, all teachers used the cane. I watched an entire class of 14 year old girls being caned for dishonesty and at school I had 'three of the best' for not telling the head the names of people smoking on the school bus. (I was an innocent party!) For my pains (literally) I became one of the most popular students in the school - well worth it!
Your story of the Rabbit and all it entailed was worth a six, because you made the narrative work so well. I was engrossed for the whole blog - though I wonder if you really did wet yourself, since surely that would have been the most embarrassing thing of all!
The little speech of Mr. Reid at the end is priceless, and a particularly good conclusion. But the footnote is best of all.
Paul
Comment Written 29-Sep-2023
Comment from Ric Myworld
I'd bet many of us can share similar experiences of characters like Mr. Reid who build up their name as a disciplinarian but mostly used their created image to maintain the rules. Well, as best they could. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
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I'd bet many of us can share similar experiences of characters like Mr. Reid who build up their name as a disciplinarian but mostly used their created image to maintain the rules. Well, as best they could. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
Comment Written 29-Sep-2023
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
What a wonderful story, so well written and expressing all those high school memories which were an absolute delight to read! You were lucky to get away with it with that headmaster but, as one who actually received corporal punishment at junior school in front of the class for not committing any wrong, I can understand the degree of anxiety you felt, often worse than the pain itself. Well done for this excellent story, a great contender and good luck! Debbie
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What a wonderful story, so well written and expressing all those high school memories which were an absolute delight to read! You were lucky to get away with it with that headmaster but, as one who actually received corporal punishment at junior school in front of the class for not committing any wrong, I can understand the degree of anxiety you felt, often worse than the pain itself. Well done for this excellent story, a great contender and good luck! Debbie
Comment Written 28-Sep-2023
Comment from RodG
I truly enjoyed this story since I have owned two scooters and can appreciate the "freedom" you enjoyed driving yours. The scene where you are stopped for speeding and windup in Mr. Reid's office is terrific. I especially like the following sentences. A terrific story that easily could be a winner in this contest.
Eventually I got the hang of clutch-and-accelerator coordination after kangaroo-hopping multiple times as I practised.
Mr. Reid continued: "Slow down and always wear a helmet. Don't break your father's heart."
Rod
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I truly enjoyed this story since I have owned two scooters and can appreciate the "freedom" you enjoyed driving yours. The scene where you are stopped for speeding and windup in Mr. Reid's office is terrific. I especially like the following sentences. A terrific story that easily could be a winner in this contest.
Eventually I got the hang of clutch-and-accelerator coordination after kangaroo-hopping multiple times as I practised.
Mr. Reid continued: "Slow down and always wear a helmet. Don't break your father's heart."
Rod
Comment Written 26-Sep-2023
Comment from JSD
An excellent little story from your school days. You surprise the reader with the ending, and engage us with the excitement you felt for driving. Well written and effective. Well done, and good luck.
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An excellent little story from your school days. You surprise the reader with the ending, and engage us with the excitement you felt for driving. Well written and effective. Well done, and good luck.
Comment Written 26-Sep-2023
Comment from Alexandra Trovato
This is an excellent story. I enjoyed reading about your high school memories. Your presentation is very good, too. You also use descriptive words and colorful imagery that draw in a reader. Thank you for sharing your memories with us! Great writing!
Best wishes!
Alexandra
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This is an excellent story. I enjoyed reading about your high school memories. Your presentation is very good, too. You also use descriptive words and colorful imagery that draw in a reader. Thank you for sharing your memories with us! Great writing!
Best wishes!
Alexandra
Comment Written 26-Sep-2023
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
This is a great entry for the contest as this is a touching story and this incident probably saved your life. I liked the (rebel without a pause) comment as perhaps you got a little too big for your boots when speeding. You were young and reckless and I am glad the teacher showed some restraint even though he scared you if was probably the scare you needed to be safe on the road, a winner for the contest here, much enjoyed, love Dolly x x x
reply by the author on 26-Sep-2023
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This is a great entry for the contest as this is a touching story and this incident probably saved your life. I liked the (rebel without a pause) comment as perhaps you got a little too big for your boots when speeding. You were young and reckless and I am glad the teacher showed some restraint even though he scared you if was probably the scare you needed to be safe on the road, a winner for the contest here, much enjoyed, love Dolly x x x
Comment Written 26-Sep-2023
reply by the author on 26-Sep-2023
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Thanks for this exceptional review, Dolly. You are perfectly right about my cocky attitude when young - we think we are bullet proof at that age with being reckless.
The comment that got to me by Mr. Reid was: 'Don't break your father's heart.' I knew it was already mostly broken by Mum's death the year before.
It is true that a good scare is the best teacher.
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Those words spoken by your teacher had the desired effect x x x
Comment from lancellot
This is a very well told story with a happy, flash ending. Such a notion of being spanked with a cane or anything from a school official today would be grounds for a lawsuit or criminal charges. But, I get the times were different then.
Well done.
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This is a very well told story with a happy, flash ending. Such a notion of being spanked with a cane or anything from a school official today would be grounds for a lawsuit or criminal charges. But, I get the times were different then.
Well done.
Comment Written 25-Sep-2023
Comment from Douglas Goff
Oh no, not the puke-colored pale green. Mr. Reid sounds like he had a heart after all. Perhaps he actually paddled the boys and took it easy on you because you were a girl?
Mr. Lambright got me with a wooden paddle in 1976 for counterfeiting money, but that's a story for another day.
Great read. Good luck in the competition.
D
reply by the author on 25-Sep-2023
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Oh no, not the puke-colored pale green. Mr. Reid sounds like he had a heart after all. Perhaps he actually paddled the boys and took it easy on you because you were a girl?
Mr. Lambright got me with a wooden paddle in 1976 for counterfeiting money, but that's a story for another day.
Great read. Good luck in the competition.
D
Comment Written 25-Sep-2023
reply by the author on 25-Sep-2023
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I went to a school reunion 25 years after we'd finished high school and a couple of the men who had been in trouble at school as boys said that Mr. Reid never caned them - it was the desk that got thrashed, and they were sworn to secrecy.
You've piqued my interest - now I want to hear about your counterfeit money.
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Then he was a good man!
