Looking for the Bluebird of Happiness

Hmmm. It is not turning out to be the best of weeks for me. It started off with Daisy failing her test and reacting badly, then a pupil tried to drive the wrong way round a 60mph roundabout, then another pupil cancelled four hours of lessons because she didn’t like me instructing her (I would have thought the clue would have been in my job title), then I have had to deal with idiots who treat the roads as though they are at Brands Hatch (thus resulting in two serious accidents on the same stretch of the A96 this week) and, now, another pupil, Glynn, has just failed his test in Elgin. Worst of all, Wednesday’s late lesson meant that I missed the first 15 minutes of the excellent Criminal Justice, starring Maxine Peake.
I am doing my best to improve the mood. After Glynn’s test (ineffective observation during his reverse park was his serious fault) I stopped off at home for a quick mug of Earl Grey and a fishfinger and tartare sauce sandwich. It is a food/drink combination made in heaven; as good as Port and Stilton, Oysters and Stout, Caviar and vodka, or roast lamb and Chateau Margaux. I notice that Tescos now sell fishfinger and ketchup sandwiches; not as good, but almost a reason to consider shopping there…. almost.
Then, after my ambrosial lunch, I went on my way to Inverness with John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett’s debut album on full blast in the CD player. My mood improved dramatically.
I am now at Inverness Test Centre. Tasmin is out on her 2nd attempt. You may remember me being particularly disappointed when she failed three weeks ago, despite only picking up three minor faults. During the two hour lesson before her test, just now, her driving was practically faultless. If she has an Achilles heel, it is her parallel park - she can do it, she just doesn’t like doing it - but, if she takes her time, she should be fine.
I had been on quite a good run before this week, as far as test passes were concerned, then two consecutive fails (pending Tasmin’s test) put an end to that run. It’s funny how often you get a run of similar results. Soon after I first became an instructor I had ten consecutive test passes and I thought I was the cat’s pyjamas; God’s gift to learner drivers. My bubble was well and truly burst when I followed those ten passes with ten fails. It was very easy to believe that I was doing something wrong and letting my pupils down in some way. However, if I had remembered the excellent teaching of our math’s teacher, Mr. Veal (‘Vealybum’ as Alison preferred to call him), I would have realised that, statistically, runs like that are to be expected. So, as I sit, waiting for Tasmin to return, I am minutes away from knowing whether I am on a bad run of three consecutive fails. Here she comes now. Fingers crossed.
Hooray!!! I am now on a run of one consecutive pass! Well done Tasmin. You have made my week.