This short story is from <Heartwarming Collection of Short Stories for Seniors: 2 Books in 1> by Bradley Windrow. It is perfect for seniors, even for dementia patients. Be sure to read until the end, as there’s a special gift waiting for you! hope you enjoy it!
There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. –Beverly Sills
Charles loved nothing more than being behind the wheel. After all, as a retired truck driver, driving had been his life. But after the unfortunate incident of backing into the community trash can—an event he claimed was “poorly timed”—his license was revoked. It left him fuming.
“Retaking my driver’s test? I’ve been driving longer than those DMV kids have been alive!” he huffed to his group of retired friends at the community club for what felt like the millionth time.
“Charles, we get it, man.” Graham, one of his friends, said. “But since you can’t drive right now, why not sign up for the community’s ‘Simulation Driving Challenge’? At least you can practice—and maybe even learn a thing or two before the real test.”
“Simulation driving? What is it? Some kind of video game for seniors?” Charles raised a skeptical eyebrow.
“Pretty much. They set up this fancy driving simulator at the center for people like you—you know, those of us who’ve… lost their licenses.” Graham chuckled as Charles glared. “Come on, some folks have tried it, and it’s not too bad.”
“Hey, Charles, you wanna get your license back, right? Why not give it a whirl? Worst case, you’ll wreck a fake car.” Eddie, another friend, piped in.
After endless ribbing, Charles reluctantly agreed. He marched into the community center the next day and found himself face-to-face with a contraption that looked more like a gaming rig than a driving tool. A steering wheel, pedals, and a giant screen showed a peaceful country road.
“Is this thing supposed to teach me how to drive?” Charles scoffed as he sat down, mumbling, “I’ve driven across the country, for heaven’s sake.”
The simulation began, and Charles confidently gripped the wheel, flooring the gas pedal. He zoomed down the virtual road like he was back in his truck. But suddenly, the machine let out an obnoxious beep.
“Speeding!” the simulator warned in a robotic voice.
“Speeding? On a country road?” Charles grumbled. But before he could complain more, he ran through a red light at a busy intersection, narrowly avoiding a simulated crash. The instructor standing nearby chuckled.
“Well, Charles, that’s why you’re here. Maybe slow down a bit.”
“This thing’s rigged!” Charles muttered, unimpressed, but he kept coming back, each time with a little less swagger. By day three, he had been “speeding,” “tailgating,” and “running stop signs” more times than he cared to admit.
“I’ve been driving for decades, and now this thing is telling me I can’t even parallel park.” Charles groaned to his friends after yet another session. But gradually, Charles sharpened up. He passed the simulation’s advanced driving test (after several tries) and, weeks later, walked into the DMV for the real deal. With the confidence of a seasoned driver, he nailed the test and got his license reinstated.
Back at the community club, Graham raised his tea to Charles that evening.
“Here’s to getting your license back!”
“…and to never hit a trash can again,” Charles added, lifting his tea with a grin.
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