Driving lesson

Location: Empty parking lot, Sunday afternoon
Marcus: 16, nervous energy
David: Patient but alert

DAVID: Easy on the gas there, son. Think of it like... like you're waking up your mom on Saturday morning.

MARCUS: (nervous laugh) What's that supposed to mean?

DAVID: Gentle. Careful. One wrong move and you're in trouble.

Marcus jerks the car forward, brakes too hard

MARCUS: Dammit! Sorry, Dad, I didn't mean to—

DAVID: Language. And it's okay. You know why they call it learning?

MARCUS: Why?

DAVID: Because you don't know how to do it yet. If you already knew, we'd call it something else.

Long pause as Marcus adjusts mirrors

MARCUS: Dad? Were you scared when you first drove?

DAVID: Terrified. Your grandfather made me practice in this same parking lot, actually. Different shopping center, same idea.

MARCUS: Really?

DAVID: Stalled out seventeen times in one afternoon. He just sat there, patient as a saint. Never raised his voice once.

MARCUS: What did he say?

DAVID: He said, "Son, this car doesn't care if you're scared. But I do. So let's figure this out together."

Marcus successfully makes a smooth turn

MARCUS: Did you see that?!

DAVID: (genuine pride) I saw it. You're getting it. Want to know a secret?

MARCUS: What?

DAVID: The car wants to go straight. All you have to do is convince it to turn when you need it to. Most of the time, it'll cooperate.

MARCUS: Like people?

DAVID: (surprised by the insight) Yeah, Marcus. Exactly like people.