PATH TO FREEDOM

Free chips with the gallon of salsa we bought today

‘It will be about ten minutes’, the lady told us.

My son and I sat on the bench in the entrance of the restaurant and waited, wondering why it would take so long to package up a gallon of salsa. Then I understood as the lady showed up with a large paper bag.

‘What’s that’, I asked, thinking it was perhaps some large stuffed animal or someone else’s food order.

‘Chips’, she replied. They were still warm.

We took both the bag of chips and the large plastic tub of salsa, surprised that we got the chips for free. And so many of them.

My son drove us there and back home. His second day of driving, which he did very well. Aside from telling him to slow down a few times and steering him over with my waving hands, motioning him to drive closer to his side. The medians can be scary. Particularly for a new driver.

It will take a while for me to get used to him driving. But hopefully not too long. My son mentioned how he sees that driving is opening up a new world for him. Soon, he will be able to go wherever and whenever he wants. For the most part.

Once home, we filled a large bowl with the restaurant salsa and ate that with some chips. It was quite hot outside, but we enjoy eating our meals on the balcony.

Later in the evening, my son drove us to drop off some chips and salsa for his sister. And to get back the documents I gave her for her driver’s permit, which she just got today. She was excited to show me her permit, but I got the impression that she wasn’t too excited to start on the path to freedom that her brother was excited about. Getting your permit is one thing. Using it to create your own freedom is another.

Almost done…