Susan approached the desk and glanced around, hoping the well-dressed lady would look up and notice her.
“Excuse me,” Susan finally said softly.
“Yes, may I help you?” the lady asked.
At least she seemed friendly. She was much younger than she had appeared from a distance. Susan relaxed, managing a smile. “I need help finding materials on how to prepare for your GED exam,” Susan said.
“You didn’t finish high school?” the lady asked.
“I…no…I didn’t finish,” Susan said.
Should she explain that she was Amish? Better not. An Amish girl living in Asbury Park who only completed the eighth grade? That was an unlikely story.
“Well, you’ve come to the right place! We are more than glad to help,” the lady said.
Robby’s head appeared from behind a nearby aisle of books behind a wall of glass. He waved and smiled.
“There are two ways to study that I recommend,” the lady continued. “Either you can take our night classes or you can study online. Here is the web address and the hours the college gives the classes.”
Susan glanced at the papers the lady handed to her.
“May I take this home with me and decide what I want to do?” she asked.
“Of course,” the lady said with a smile. “Whatever way works for you is fine.”
“Where is the exam taken?” Susan asked.
“Here at the college. But you should study first. Each exam has a fee attached, and you will have to repeat the entire exam if you fail any section. I advise a full complement of studies before you attempt the test.”
“Okay,” Susan said, turning to go.
She found Robby in the library across the hall, his nose stuck in a book. She got his attention by whispering, “I’m ready to go.”
“Oh!” he jumped and slammed the book shut.
She looked at the title as he slid the book back on the shelf. “The Five Love Languages,” Susan read aloud. “Hmm.”
Robby’s face turned a bit red.
“You don’t have to be embarrassed about the book,” Susan said, leading the way outside and down the steps. “It sounds pretty good. Maybe I need to read it too.”
“Yeah, I think maybe we both do,” Robby agreed.
“Now, where do I get my driver’s license?” Susan asked.
“Wow! You’re really moving ahead quickly, aren’t you?” Robbie asked.
“Do you think I’m moving too quickly, Robby? I’m just trying to make a new life here in the Englisha world.”
“No, you’re fine.” He didn’t hesitate. “You’ve never struck me as lacking in the intelligence department. I was just kidding. And what did the college tell you?”
“I can either come here for night classes or study online,” she told him. “Which one do you think I should do?”
He shrugged. “Mom has a computer at the bakery. Do you think you could learn to use a computer?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “Is it hard?”
“Nah, a piece of cake.” He laughed.
“Robby, did you finish high school?” she asked, as they climbed into the car.
“Yes,” he said, starting the engine.
“Isn’t college the place where most Englisha young people go after high school?”
“Yes, I guess.”
“Did you go to college?” she asked after he paid the parking fee.
He was busy looking up and down the street, but he turned to answer her with a quick, “Yes.”
“I feel so stupid,” Susan said. “You must really think so too. Everyone here has a high school diploma and most likely some college. With just an eighth-grade education, I feel so…so dumb.”
“Quit beating yourself up,” he said. “You’re doing just fine. And most people admire you for trying to catch up, whatever your reasons were for not completing high school.”
“I wonder if Mr. Moran thinks so. He’s a good example of what I mean. He’s so smart. I have no business being with him. At least I don’t have cow manure still stuck on my shoes.”
Robby laughed. “Hey, it’s a free world. Anyone can go out with anyone. And he must like you. Don’t worry about it—just enjoy it. I think if anyone is stupid or dumb, it’s that Amish boyfriend of yours.”
Susan was hardly listening. “Mr. Moran probably has college learning coming out his ears.”
“He probably does,” Robby agreed. “But I wouldn’t worry. There’s more to life then college. You’ll do okay.”
“You’re just saying so to make me feel better.”
“Hey, I’ve got a college education, so I should know. Now isn’t that true, Miss Hostetler?”
“It is true,” she said, grateful for the compliment. Robby did have cute logic. “But it doesn’t feel true inside. I still feel like a duck out of water.”
“A nice-looking duck out of water,” Robbie corrected. “Here we are at the DMV. Time for your first test.”
They got out and walked to the building. Robby held the door for her and motioned her toward a cubicle that didn’t have a line. She walked up, uncertain what to do.
“You give them your information, and they give you a number and the test material,” Robby whispered in her ear.
“May I help you, ma’am?” a woman at the window asked.
“I…uh, I need to apply for my learner’s permit.” Is that the correct wording? Hadn’t Laura used those words?
The woman nodded. “I’ll need your birth certificate.”
Susan dug the paper out of her purse and handed it over the counter.
There was a clicking of keys. The woman pointed to a bank of computers. You take the test there. Your number is 305. When you’re done, wait until your number is called. If you pass you’ll take a quick eye exam and we’ll give you your permits.
Susan stood there, frozen.
“Is there anything else?” the woman asked.
“I don’t know how to use a computer,” Susan finally got out.
“Oh, then you’ll want to take the test manually.” She brought out a sheaf of papers, selected one and handed it to Susan, along with a pencil. “You can take the test at one of those desks over there,” she said, pointing to several desks in the corner. “When you’re done, bring the test back to this window.”
Susan forced herself to move.
Robby met her halfway to the desks. “Calm down,” he said. “This is not the jail house. You can do this! Concentrate and work on your questions. I’ll wait for you over there,” he said, pointing.
She glared at him but then settled down to take the test. She read the multiple-choice questions. They seemed easy enough, most of them following the material she’d studied in the apartment. She began filling in the circles by her answers. When she was done, she handed the paper in and found a seat by Robby.
“What happens next?” she whispered to Robby.
“I don’t remember,” he whispered back. “It’s been a long time. But I think they do an eye exam and take your picture.”
“My picture?” Susan gasped.
“Yes. How else can they make sure your driver’s license belongs to you?”
“I know that. It’s just, well…I’ve never had my picture taken before. It’s a great evil back home!”
“Really?” He was staring at her. “You’re joking, of course?”
“No, I’m not. You sure don’t know much about the Amish.”
Robby was incredulous. “Taking a picture is a sin? Wow! No wonder I’m a sinner. I was born with a camera flashing in my eye. Mom couldn’t stop taking pictures when I was a baby.”
“It’s not really a sin,” she said.
“I am so relieved!” he said in mock relief, sliding deeper into his chair. “I hope they hurry. I’m getting hungry.”
It isn’t a sin, is it? People get their pictures taken all the time in the Englisha world. Susan’s mind raced. I’m really stepping into the Englisha world now. I need to get over these guilt feelings.
Robbie reached over and rattled her chair. “Your number is up on the board!” he said.
Susan jumped up and walked to the counter. The lady looked her over before smiling. Susan wondered if it was just her imagination or did the lady know she was dealing with another ignorant girl getting her license after crawling off the farm?
“Step over here,” the lady directed, still smiling. She motioned toward a chair with a long, white machine standing in front of it. There was a camera perched on a tripod…like a glass eye staring at her.
Susan hoped no one could hear her heart pounding. She was surprised when the woman stopped at a different machine.
The clerk motioned for her to look into this machine. When she placed her eyes on the peepholes she saw various sizes and shapes of letters inside. The woman asked Susan to read off what she was seeing, altering the formations inside the box after each answer.
“All done. No problems at all,” the woman said moments later. “Stand over here, and we’ll take your picture.”
Susan stood in front of the machine with the glassy eye. She wanted to close her eyes so she wouldn’t have to look, but the woman wasn’t likely to take her picture with her eyes closed.
The woman adjusted the lens and a light flashed.
“Your learner’s permit will be ready in a minute,” the clerk said. “You can go back to your seat for now.”
This is all there is to it? Susan wondered. Just a flash and my picture was taken? She’d always figured picture taking involved a little more, considering how evil it was supposed to be.
“I’m hungry,” Robby repeated when Susan sat down. “I hope they hurry.”
Susan concentrated on calming herself, ignoring Robby. Boys were always hungry. At least her sisters always said so, and they had young boys to back up their opinion.
“What are the plans for this afternoon?” Robby asked, rattling her chair again.
“I need to shop at the mall,” she said without thinking.
“The mall!” Robby exclaimed. “I hope you don’t expect me to help with shopping.”
Susan smiled. “Of course not. You can sit on the bench and count the people going by.”
He glared at her. “I think I’m taking you straight back to the bakery.”
“I think we both need food,” she said. “I’m feeling a bit weak, but at least I’m not grouchy.”
“I’m behaving quite nicely,” he said. “And if you’d stop saying nasty things about me, I’ll tell you what I was about to suggest.”
Susan gave him a sweet smile.
“That’s better,” he said.
“So what were you going to say?” she asked.
He waited, obviously teasing her before answering. “I was going to suggest that since you need practice driving, which I assume you’ve never done before, we could do that this afternoon.”
“Oh! You’re being nice,” she said. “But I…really…I’ve…It’s just that I’ve never driven before.”
“That’s what I just said.”
“But your car. It’s so big! And I could wreck it.” Susan felt the horror of the thought spreading over her face.
“I’m not going to let you wreck my car, believe me,” he said confidently.
“But me! Driving a car!” she protested, half rising from her chair. “I don’t think I can.”
“Then why are you getting a learner’s permit?”
“To drive a car.”
“See!” He threw up his hands. “Women make such perfect sense.”
“We always do,” she said. “It’s just that you men don’t understand us.”
He took a deep breath.
She laughed.
“Number 305, your permit is ready,” the clerk called from the counter. She held up a plastic card.
Susan stood and took tiny steps forward.
“Your permit! Congratulations! In three months you can take the driver exam if you’re ready.”
“Thank you,” Susan said, turning to go.
She stopped by the chairs and studied the picture. It looked like the mirror did in the bathroom, only smaller. She looked a bit scared though, as if she had just committed a crime or something. Her pony tail had worked loose, and strands of hair hung around her face. Why hadn’t she thought to get things tucked in first? But it was too late now.
Robby was on his feet, looking over her shoulder, laughing.
“You can smile,” he said, “It’s not a criminal record. It’s your passport to freedom!”
“Freedom?” she croaked.
“Driving around,” he said. “Your own wheels and all that. Being able to go where you want to go when you want to go!”
“I think I need food,” she said. “Right now before I pass out!”
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all morning,” Robby said, holding the door for her.