Rising Action: A Comeback Story

I grew up really fast a week before my twentieth birthday. A “late bloomer” compared to many of my friends and peers — up until this time — I had not had a driver’s license, a job, or even my own bank account and boy, did that change fast. I was an executive in asking my family members for rides to wherever I wanted or needed to go, cleaning the house, and starting (not always completing) craft projects, and spending my parents’ money.

My friend Will was recently elected as Student Body Vice President of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and was on the look for a Secretary for their Executive Board. Considering my work ethic in the classes we have had together, he thought I would be a good fit for the team. Nothing reveals a person’s true work ethic quite like making a short film in a short time period for class together. In a matter of time, I had my first job interview. Needless to say, it went well, and I landed my first paying job! Starting work was so much fun, I felt like such a big girl. I had a timesheet that I had to submit every week, I had an office and office hours, and I had tasks that I had to get done every week that made me feel productive and important. Up until this time I was so worried that I wouldn’t be able to handle adding anything to my already busy school schedule. Liking and doing well in my new job gave me a confidence I didn’t know I needed.

Within the next couple of days, feeling brave, I woke up ready to conquer the next milestone impulsively, taking my driver’s test. I told my mom that morning that it would be funny if the driving school had an opening for me to test right away. Once this became a reality it was not very funny. Having not properly practiced in weeks nor eaten at all that day, I buckled in to test at one of the worst times I could’ve picked. At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, all of the elementary schools were letting out for the day — now understanding as a driver, means that many parents pick up their children at that time — and I was behind the wheel of a car I had never driven before with a stern elderly driving instructor, Mr. Lazo. Usually, I feel like I can charm the elderly with politeness, Mr. Lazo In my car, the speedometer has a digital setting, so I wasn’t used to having to count the ticks. I don’t know if it was the nerves but in the testing car, the manual speedometer’s increments were odd. I could not tell you if it counted by fives or tens. I could tell that the driving instructor was questioning if I knew how to count, I think I was even questioning if I knew how to count. Breathing in the smell of sweat and old leather, we went down streets I’ve known all my life, it was literally my neighborhood, but at that moment they had never felt so foreign. Each time Mr. Lazo would aggressively say “No ma’am!” or “Stay in your lane!” or “Keep your speed” or even sigh heavily my heart would move higher up my throat. I wanted to pull over and say that I gave up so many times. But it felt like every time I was ready to call it quits, he would say “that was good” I would immediately feel better. This cycle happened many times in the longest hour and a half of my life. After involuntarily shaking for an eternity and praying continuously behind my mask, I heard the glorious words I did not feel like I deserved. I came home crying telling my mom that I never wanted to be behind the wheel again, but that I had passed. I gained the freedom of going home as soon as I wanted and to potentially be blamed if I was ever late anywhere.

The last step into my young adult starter pack was to open my own bank account. Like when children go to the doctor with their parents, I found myself looking to my mom to tell the woman setting up my account all of my personal information. Baby steps. With my own bank account meant that I now had my own money that I could spend. Money has always made me uncomfortable and I’m not very sure why. I am very blessed to say that I come from a family that is financially comfortable. I always felt guilty whenever I would ask my parents if they could buy something I wanted. I knew that I didn’t need anything so it never felt right when I got or asked for anything. Since this would be my own money, I think that of course I would try my best to be financially responsible, but this guilt would go away. Not only that, I could if I needed to, might be able to make it on my own for a couple of days in the real world! I gained independence.

I had wondered for a long time how and when I was going to complete these milestones and since everyone around me had already experienced them, I even worried that the day might never come. That week in June when I felt like I had finally become a woman and I learned many things. I learned that I can do things that my brain tries to convince me that I cannot, I learned that impulse decisions are not very smart (but are not entirely bad either), and I learned what the word “beneficiary” means. This summer I gained confidence, freedom, and independence. I guess you can say it was a pretty momentous summer. Finally, an exciting summer story I can share!