Book Title: The Widowmaker 1200 Short Story
Chapter Five: The Bureaucratic Barrier & The Brightening Horizon
The bureaucratic delay for Bruce's written learner's permit test extends to almost two months, which Dad, Patrick, views as government inefficiency and Mom, Jill, views as a "divine blessing" for safety and cognitive reinforcement. To cope with the wait and pad his funds for accessories, Bruce returns to The Scooping Shack with the zeal of a monk doing penance.
The real struggle is the Fettles Family Study System. Dad treats the DMV manual like a military operation, color-coding sections and requiring force vector diagrams for skidding, while Mom creates fear-based flashcards focused on hypothetical near-death scenarios and insurance coverage. Despite the excessive and stressful methods, Bruce internalizes the manual, passing fifty practice tests and finally conquering the two-month wait.
On the test day, Bruce breezes through the questions, fueled by his parents' over-preparation. The screen flashes "CONGRATULATIONS!" and Dad, ecstatic, throws an immediate, over-the-top "Permit Party," complete with traffic light decorations and a motorcycle helmet cake.
At the party, Bruce spots Cassidy, a cool new girl from the West Coast. When she learns he not only passed the "super-hard test" but is getting a Cherry Red Widowmaker 1200, she is genuinely impressed. She tells him that earning a bike is "pretty awesome," instantly making the six months of painful labor worthwhile.
The moment is, of course, interrupted by Dad, who is eager to share Bruce’s "study efficiency" breakdown. However, the connection is made: Bruce has the permit, the money, the bike on layaway, and now, the attention of the coolest girl in school. The motorcycle, even before he rides it, has already initiated the exhilarating next chapter of his life.
Book Title: The Widowmaker 1200 Short Story
Author: Warren M. Walker
Publisher: V & W Publishing
https://publishing.irishknights.co.za/the-widowmaker-1200-short-story/
Available on Amazon.com:
Kindle:
https://www.amazon.com/The-Widowmaker-1200-Short-Story-By-Warren-Walker/dp/B0FV3V1ZLH
Paperback:
https://www.amazon.com/The-Widowmaker-1200-Short-Story-By-Warren-Walker/dp/B0FVT2YK47