Driver's Ed + Social Living

Eric attends driver's education and reports: "I had to go in order for Ben to get his junior license. ... another dad looked at me when we were leaving and said, "well that's two hours of my life I'm never getting back."

We Berkeley High sophomores (that would be '83) split a semester into Driver's Ed and Social Living, taught by the wonderful Nancy Rubin; Nancy at BHS from 1977 to 1996 and was one of the cool adults who wore stylish middle-age clothes and had frizzy hair and expensive beed necklaces. Sometimes sleek sandals if warm. Her class discussed things like masturbation (boys agreed: girls have better options), contraception (no 16 year-old likes a rubber) and abortion (most to all kids support choice - Berkeley, dude) and other stuff too awkward or difficult to bring home. Nancy became a minor celebrity, on Oprah, and known across the country. A highlight of her class : a letter we addressed to ourselves, post-marked and stamped, for future delivery. Mine arrived at my parents' house in 2003 or 20 years later. It still scares the shit out of me - I have yet to open the damn thing. Maybe I will give to Eitan or Madeleine on their 16th birthday? Maybe I will dispose of it privately. Photo from Eric.