LICENSED

Finally!

I had the grandest feeling in months! Finally passed that GAMEN-KIRIKAE [Change of Foreign Driver's License to Japanese License].

Went last Thursday morning, when the sun is about to rise from this Land of the Morning Sun. Had to be there early lest I get caught in that bumper-to-bumper traffic at Sasagase Bridge connecting Iwata to Hamamatsu. The License Center was that city north of Hamamatsu.

There were two Officers in charge of the KIRIKAE.
They started to call our name: mine was under the same officer who tested me the first time I went there: Nakamura-san. THE Nakamura-san whose face does not even offer a glimpse of softness; just straight-face ala-Jack Palance [May he rest in Peace!] All others say he is the Terror of Hamakita: that Nakamura-san. I don't know. I can't say that to people I hardly meet.

I got number 4 slot and waited at the Driving Course inside the Testing Center. I didn't spot any Pinoy until late when I heard someone talk over the phone. 'Twas Tagalog, so I peered from the line. She had number 7. Smiled at her and said "GoodLuck."

All others [mostly Brasilieros/as] walked through the entire course. So with the 'other' Pinay. I didn't. I just watched them walk their way. I looked at the course and imagined in my mind how I would tackle each curve, each turn, each stop.

Then they came! By 'they', I mean the Police Officers who, because of their age, have been assigned in the home office. The young ones do the motorcycle and bicycle rounds.

I can't say I was nervous. After all, I had been there thrice and all the Police Officers could say was: "Check it all out before you make your move."
I wish I had the guts to ask which one........Oh well.....


When my turn came, I did what I have imagined in my mind. I did as best as I could. No hassles, walang hulog sa S curve or L-curves: no comments while I was doing the course.

When the car halted to full stop, the one riding at the back [the next applicant] got off and we were left alone. I mean, the Police Officer and I.

He asked:
"How many meters before each curve will you turn on the winker?"
I replied: `About 30 meters.' Nabasa ko yun sa Rules of the Road Safety Book. I learned that also when I studied Driving in Inang Bayan.

"Exactly, how long is 30 meters?" sabi ni Nakamura-san.

I imagined the private road leading to Jiji's property. I remember Jiji saying it was 70 meters. I imagined if that small road is 70 meters long, then 30 could be anywhere half---no, lesser thatn half of that 70 meters.

So I started calculating and said:
I said about several cars put together.
How many meters is one car?
I said `Around 4?'

Imagine he taunted me and said: `The cars in the Philippines must be too small.'

Honestly, I had no idea.
How do I know?
It wasn't even taught in the Driving School I went to years ago.

Anyway, he shook his head. I just kept my cool. Tao lang ito, I thought. Kaya ko rin siya. He kept on talking while I looked at his eyes and just nodded plainly. As I went out of the car, I said: "I am sorry. Thank you for your trouble. Excuse me." Then got out of the car, checking first if there was another car coming.


I thought: 'Wala na! Pag lumagpak pa ako, ayoko nang bumalik!'

As we waited till the last examinee was over, Nakamura-san [the Police Officer who tested us] came over to the bench where the other Pinay and I were sitting.

He asked: "How long do you practice driving?"

I wanted to say: `I drive everyday, kaya lang bawal yun, while undergoing KIRIKAE, so instead, I said, "Around 2 hours."

The other Pinay said:"None, except the one I had in the Philippines."

"You should practice more " was all he said.

Back to the Building, we waited for the results.

The other Pinay's name was called;

I waited.....

Wala.

Then the Police Officer waived the last paper/application: Tense ang lahat. Wala pa rin ang pangalan ko?

Those Brasilieros/as started to jump.

"You, too!" I heard them say, looking at me.

"No, maybe not." was all I could mutter, remembering the short discussion I had with the Police Officer. I wasn't sure..... Didn't he criticize me about my late use of winkers? I wondered.

Then another Police Officer came. He was holding a small bunch of papers. I saw my picture from afar. THEN he called out:

Y----i-san!
"Hai!" I said automatically!

I said aloud :"YES!" and my face must have registered a smile a lot better than Mona Lisa's! Ha-Ha!

We paid for the License, then went on for the Photo-taking.
After watching a video on safety rules and traffic accidents in our Prefecture, we were issued our Licenses.

YATTA! I DID IT!

H0-H0-H0!!!!!