I finally got what I've wanted for years: a photo ID

I've been having a good time riding my bicycle lately.
Actually, I have a moped license.

But I haven't driven once since I got it.
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I've always wanted a photo ID.

I had given up on driving a car, thinking it was absolutely impossible for me,

and when I bought a moped license workbook a long time ago,
the traffic rules just wouldn't sink in,
so I gave up right away.
This year, I decided I really wanted a photo ID after all.

Every time I had to go through a procedure,
I had to go get a copy of my residence certificate,
or the process wouldn't be finished in one go,
and I truly found it to be a hassle.

So, I bought a workbook.
This time, I chose one with full-color pages that looked like it would keep me motivated.

Even though I decided to do it, this time too,
I couldn't get into a study habit,
and since my goal was just the ID,
it was a chore to memorize things,
so it didn't go smoothly.

While I was at it,
COVID-19 became a serious issue, and I thought if I didn't take the test now,
I wouldn't be able to for a while, so I set the test date for March 27th.
For three days, I thoroughly solved past exam questions.

Then on the day of the test,
I headed to the venue with a pounding heart,
and I thought about studying on the bus,
but I felt like I would just panic more if I found a question I couldn't solve,
so I told myself I was ready,
and decided not to look at it.

It had been a long time since I took an exam,
and I was really nervous.
When I arrived at the venue, it was all young people,
and there were only two or three other people
my age.

People kept coming into the venue.
When I checked the number of people on the results bulletin board,
it looked like there were at least 64 of us.

◇ ◇ ◇

The test begins!
I mark the answers with the pencil provided at the venue.
I was so nervous that my hands were damp with sweat,
to the point where I could barely hold the pencil.

You pass if you get 45 out of 50 questions correct.
Even though I was nervous,
I had time to review twice,
but at the very last moment,
I didn't have the luxury to fix the questions I was unsure about,
thinking, 'Oh, it's this one.'
There were two questions I was worried about.
I felt a bit confident about the rest.

Even so, I waited with a pounding heart until the results were announced.
An announcement said, 'We will now announce the results,'
and we all shuffled over to the bulletin board.

◇ ◇ ◇

Please let number 23 be there!!
I looked up with a pounding heart.
There, the long-awaited
number 23 was displayed.

'It's there!'
Of course, I couldn't say it out loud,
so I did a fist pump in my heart,
and lined up for the eye exam.

The girl standing behind me
was talking to her friend.
'I finally passed on my sixth try.'
Six times?? I felt a little proud
that I had passed on my first try.

The subsequent training for the moped license
was hell for me.
I had taken the test with the goal of getting a photo ID,
but I had thought that if I could ride one,
I might want to ride one in the future.

The feeling of the bike surging forward
when I turned the throttle
was so scary, so scary,
that my body would shrink back.

No matter how many times I practiced, it was difficult.
I would turn the throttle once,
and when it felt like it was going to stop,
I would turn the throttle again.
At this rate,
a bicycle is definitely faster (lol).

On curves, I felt like I was going to drive into oncoming traffic,
and I didn't find it fun at all.
If you pass the written test, you won't fail this training,
but I was convinced that driving was impossible for me.
It's not a matter of getting used to it or not.
My instincts are telling me that.

◇ ◇ ◇

And so, I finally got my long-awaited
photo ID.
It shows me with a face that would make my husband laugh out loud,
saying, 'Is there really a photo as carefree as this?'
but I was still proud that I passed.
I did my best with the studying and the test after such a long time.
And now, my bicycle has become my beloved vehicle.
I'm secretly aiming to get an electric bicycle someday.