I finally had my first day of driver's education. It went on for about an hour. The teacher saw I am new since it's my first time. Roger was there also, but like me, this is his first.

"I see we have some new faces to this class. What are your names?" he asked.

"I'm Doug Funnie," I answered.

"Roger Klotz."

"Funnie, huh? Is that a joke on your last name?"

I shook my head and answered, "No, it's not."

"I'll be nice to you, Mr. Funnie. You may sit down now. For those who have joined this class on how to drive, my name is Tom. I won't bother to share my last name since it's not important to any of you."

When he finished introducing himself, he picked up from where he left off when I walked in with Roger. So we listened for the rest of the hour, so we didn't hear the beginning.

Since it was only my and Roger's first day, I noticed Roger didn't interrupt for once like he always does. So that was a surprise to all of my friends and myself. Neither of us drove over to the school where the class was being held. Since it was close by from where I live. I figured out that Roger must've taken the bus while I walked on foot, which I didn't mind at all. At least it's exercise.

When the hour ended, Roger and I walked out with our friends since we were in the same class together.

"What did you think, Doug?" Connie asked me once we were outside.

"Connie, it's interesting, but my mom and dad still think I'm still not ready for this sort of thing," I told her.

"Looks to me your mom and dad are right, Doug. At least this gave you the chance to check out what this course is all about," Chalky told me.

"Why do you have to agree with Mom and Dad, Chalky? This is only my first day," I reminded my friend.

"I did notice you didn't pay attention towards the end of the day. Is there anything on your mind?" Chalky asked.

I answered, "Just all of this driving stuff and nothing else. I've been nervous and excited at the same time."

"What are you going to tell your mom and dad about your first day?" Patti asked.

I told her.

"I saw you, Doug. It looked like you were about to fall asleep," Chalky told me.

"I agree with Chalky, Doug. How much time did your mom and dad say about learning to get your permit?" Phoebe asked.

"They want to give it two weeks," I answered.

"Oh," was all she said.

I nodded. Once again I yawned. This was showing my friends that I was about to fall sleep, which wasn't true. It was just boredom. That doesn't normally happen to me since I'm always finding things to do with my friends. Some of my friends took the bus with Roger. Some of them drove over, like Patti, Chalky and Skeeter did. Well, let me say it was their folks who drove to pick them up.

"Hi, Mrs. Valentine," I said to Skeeter's mother.

"Hello, Doug. Do you need a ride or are your parents coming for you?"

"I'm not very far away, Mrs. Valentine," I reminded her as Skeeter closed the passenger's side and buckled his seatbelt.

"Come with us, Doug. It looks like it's starting to rain," he told me.

That I didn't notice at all.

"I might as well come with you."

That's when I finally got the chance to agree with them for at least one time.

"How did it go, Skeeter?" she asked once we followed Patti's car. I did see she was at the wheel and not her father. Now I was starting to figure it out, but I kept that part to myself. I do remember when Judy learned to drive when she was my age. At least I learned a little from her, but I don't remember much about it anymore.

"You're pretty quiet, Doug. Is there anything wrong?" Skeeter asked me when Mrs. Valentine entered the driveway at my house.

"There's nothing wrong, Skeeter," I answered.

He did see for himself that I was right.

"I can walk you to the door if you'd like, Doug."

"If you want to, that's fine with me."

He held the door so I could get out.

"Thanks, Skeeter."

"Be glad to do it."

We walked up to the front door.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Doug. Thanks for coming today and see what this driving thing is all about."

"You're welcome, Skeeter. I'll see you in school tomorrow."

"All right, Doug."

It was starting to rain even more when I watched him walk back to the car with Mrs. Valentine.

Before I walked inside the house, I waved to them and they left. It was a good thing I finally agreed with them because of the rain from what Skeeter mentioned.

Then I let myself in the front door. I saw Mom was in the kitchen. She was making sloppy joes.

"I'm home, Mom. Where's Dad?" I asked.

"Hello, Douglas. He's in the bathroom, so he should be here any minute now. How did it go for your first day, dear?"

"Fine. It was quite interesting," I said as Dad walked in.

"Hi, Doug. How did it go?"

"Mom just asked that question."

As I poured myself a glass of milk, I yawned a second time.

"Are you all right, Douglas? You sound tired," Mom told me.

"I'm not tired, Mom."

I was telling them the truth, and they both saw that for themselves.

"Tell us about it," Dad told me as we sat down at the kitchen table.

So I did told them everything from the second I went in with Roger until the end.

"There is something I want to share," I replied.

"What?" he asked me.

"Chalky agrees with you both about my not being ready for this kind of thing. I still want to give it a shot first and see how it turns out."

I didn't want to mention that I was yawning towards the end of the class. That was something I plan to keep to myself.

"What did you learn, Doug?"

I told them everything. I also told them that Patti was in the driver's seat and her dad wasn't.

"That's the way driving works, Doug. When you're learning, you can't be on your own until you get your license. That's why you watched Patti."

"Oh," was all I could say.

"Why don't you go to bed early tonight?"

"Mom, I don't think that's necessary."

"You do look tired," Dad told me and then added, "your mother is right about going to bed early."

I don't want to argue with him, so I stayed quiet.

Judy wasn't home with us while we ate the sloppy joes that Mom made for us tonight. We had peaches and carrots as well. A few hours later, I decided to go to bed early. Before I did that, I went to say good – night.

"Night, Douglas."

"Night."

Then I went straight to sleep.