Jaxon and I went to visit a couple of great people and friends on Saturday, Al & Karen Putman.  We drove our Jeep for the first time since I finished the recent work I did on it.  Jaxon always wants to drive the Jeep everywhere we go, but it’s been under construction lately.  When we got to the Putmans’ house, Al said, “Before you leave, you should take Jaxon out to the back pasture and let him drive the Jeep.”  At first I thought he was joking, but then realized he was serious, I think.  I thought, Jaxon can’t drive a stick shift.  He doesn’t even know what a clutch IS.  So after we visit for a while, it’s time to go, and of course, Jaxon hasn’t forgotten what Al said.  I try to explain to my 5 year old that he cannot drive the Jeep becuase it’s a standard (which meant nothing to him).  I explained that it had 2 pedals that had to be pressed and released just perfectly to make it go.  Still, that meant nothing to him.  He just kept saying, “I CAN DO IT!”  I then decided to take a different approach.  I said, “Jaxon, don’t you trust me?  I’m telling you that you cannot drive the Jeep.  You can trust me that I know what I’m talking about.  When Daddy tells you something, you can believe it.”  And his response to my new tactic was, “DADDY, I CAN DO IT!”  So I finally gave in, and said to him, “OK, Jaxon, I’m going to let you try, just to show you that you can trust Daddy when he tells you something.”  I figured, this shouldn’t take long.  A couple of times releasing the clutch and the engine dying should satisfy him.  So he got in the drivers seat, and I got in the passenger seat.  He could barely reach the pedals, and could not really see out the windshield while pressing the pedals.  He stepped on the gas a copule times and revved the engine very loudly which kind of startled him.  It was still in neutral, so I told him to press the clutch in so I could put it into 1st gear.  He did, and after describing to him what he needed to do, he lets the clutch out and it dies.  I thought of saying, “See I told you so,” but didn’t.  I started it for him again, and told him to push the clutch in and try again.  The next thing I know, we are zooming across the field.  He had figured out the gas pedal for sure.  I tried to help steer so that we didn’t run into any hay bails, dirt piles or downed telephone poles.  It was a pretty choppy ride, roaming the pasture in 1st gear.  So I told him to push the clutch in again so I could put it in 2nd, and figured that would be a little smoother ride.  And it was.  But what I didn’t really consider is that it goes a lot faster in 2nd gear than it does in 1st.  He was having a ball, squealing and smiling from ear to ear.  I have to say that I had some fun too, and was a pretty proud dad to be able to say that my son can drive a stick shift, sort of.  But then I remembered what I had told him prior to letting him drive.  All the stuff about trusting Daddy.  He never mentioned it afterwards.  He didn’t rub it in.  I guess he hasn’t learned that technique yet.  But I do wonder if he remembers that conversation.  I’m guessing he does, since he tends to remember everything that I’d rather he forget.  But I do wonder if he will ever be able to trust Daddy again.  At the very least, it’s setting a very bad precedent.  What’s he gonna think the next time I tell him, “Just trust Daddy…”