Stereotype.

I'm a bad driver. Not horrid. But bad. No. Inexperienced. That's it. I am sad to admit, but I was a late bloomer in getting my drivers license. Not particularly because I was "bad" but simply because the only working car we had happened to be our fifteen passenger van. And also, I was ...bad...at driving. No. Inexperienced.

It was only just recently, at the beginning of this year, when I took up driving. Like driving driving. Not those little flings when you get up and drive your parent to work or something. Driving. You know, doing it all the time.

Before I moved here I drove my parents to their work and me to mine. But that was it. There and back. Here, after I got my car, things were a little different. I had my own wheels. A teenager with a car! This can mean only one thing: Unstoppable. I was now free to drive where I wanted when I wanted and I didn't have to force my cousins to drive me where I needed to go. Those were the bad days. And they were finally coming to an end.

So anyway, back to me being a bad -inexperienced- driver. I obviously and not THAT bad. I passed the test anyway. The instructor lady obviously thought I was safe to put on the streets of Missouri. And I am obviously not dead. That's gotta count for something.

So anyway, I've learned over the past several years that I do not work well under pressure. I get nervous. VERY nervous. If someone is watching me and I know it, I tend to make more mistakes than usual. It worries me. I get very tense. Today was no different.

Somehow through a long story or other, I ended up in the car with Melinda -me driving of course -and we were headed for the bank. Driving with my younger siblings is no problem. I know they're not judging me. But with an adult, like a parent or friend, I get very edgy. Driving with Melinda was no different. I became aware of her every move and I payed strict attention to the traffic around me. Actually, I think I was paying more attention to my passenger than to the cars around me, but only slightly more. Every time she moved, even the tiniest bit, my heart would stumble out of rhythm and I would tense behind the wheel.

Okay, now I have a bit of a story to tell. An occurrence of which I feel very bad for, but that I'm going to tell you about anyway...

I pulled out of the bank's parking lot with little trouble. Although there was a car behind me that just seemed to appear out of nowhere as I was backing up. Unfortunately the car was hidden by my view, lost behind the back seat head-rest, but fortunate that the driver was aware of my presence. (Thank heaven for good drivers!)

Anyway, I pulled out onto the road and stopped in front of the traffic light and waited for my little green arrow. It came as it always does and I turned. While turning I merged, as I thought right, from my lane on the far left into the farthest lane to the right...

From the corner of my eye I saw Melinda tense. She straightened up and grabbed the door for support. I tightened my grip on the wheel and snapped my back into the full upright position. My heart was racing and I was scared. It was obvious that I had done something wrong. Totally obvious.

"Word of advice," Melinda said, her voice thick with tension. "When your on a two lane turn, stay in your own lane."

The tone in her voice made me whirl my head around to see the traffic behind me. In my stupidity, I had never realized that this was indeed a two lane turn. I merely failed to notice that just because there was only one arrow, that didn't mean that those next to me weren't able to turn as well. I felt so stupid!

"Did I almost hit him?" I said, scared out of my mind, referring to the small car behind me.

"No."

I don't like being stereotyped. I don't like to be considered "one of those stupid teenagers." I am an individual. I may still be stupid, but an individual nonetheless. But in this situation however, I would gladly accept if you were to place me under the category of "Stupid Teenager" with a tab of "Bad Driver."

There aren't many people I trust as drivers, myself included. People scare me. Teenagers scare me. I guess all I'm trying to say is, I won't feel too bad if you decided not to trust me with my driving skills. I am still quite inexperienced. Ask me again in a year or so and then I might change my mind. But for now.... I'd rather just be a "Stupid Teenager."