Friday, May 21, 2010

HIJACKED!


Yesterday goes down in the books as one of the worst days of my life :(

The good news is that everything is okay now.  Well, everything with me (and Louis) is okay.  I'm really, really worried about someone that I love very much.  I don't know what to do about it, or how to help, but I'm going pray about it and hope that I figure out what the right course of action is.  Vague, I know, but it's going to stay that way because this isn't my issue.  I know you understand.

What I will tell you all about is how I was hijacked last night.  Well, my Mercedes was hijacked anyway.

Let me begin by saying that due to the situation above I was very fragile yesterday.  I was upset and not quite myself.  I had Flirt! class at 7pm with the girls.  So, I parked in the parking lot where I always do.  I parked between my girlfriends Marilyn Monroe and MK. 

When we came out of class and walked to the parking lot I walked to the spot where my car was, and it was gone.  You heard me.  GONE.  As I said, yesterday was a tough day for me.  So, before freaking out I looked around.  Could I possibly have parked somewhere else?  Hmmm...why couldn't I remember? 

T:  Ummm...where is my car? 
MM: What?
(we all turn and look at the spot between Marilyn Monroe and MK's cars)
T:  Wasn't I parked between the two of you?
MK:  Yep.  You were.  Because I almost parked in such and such spot, but then I parked here on your other side instead.
T:  Okay.  So, where is my car? 
(we all look around the parking lot as if my car has moved itself.  we can't really process what has happened)
T:  OH MY GOD!  OH MY GOD!  SOMEONE HAS STOLEN MY FREAKING CAR!  SHIT!  SHIT!  COULD THIS DAY GET ANY WORSE? (immediately break into sobs)
MM:  Hold on now, let's call this number to see if you were possibly towed......Well, crap!  They are only open until 5:30.
T:  Do you think?  Do you think I was towed?  I so hope so.  I'm totally okay with that.  I haven't paid a few of those $3 parking tickets.  Oh God, please let that be it.

Marilyn Monroe continues to work her magic and calls everyone under the sun, police included, to get to the bottom of it.  Turns out my car was towed. 



And I breathed a sigh of relief.  That was totally okay with me.  As long as my car was safe.  MK said she would take me to the towing place in the morning.  Marilyn Monroe gave me a ride home. 

As I laid on the couch with Louis last night, all I kept saying to myself was "thank you God that this day is over".

Flash Forward to This Morning...

MK and I head to the towing place.  We get lost for about 20 minutes, but we eventually find it.  The guys are all chatty and smiley as if they love what they do.  WTF? 

T:  Yesterday was quite possibly one of the worst days of my life.  And then you towed my car.
Tow Guy: Yea, sorry about that.
T:  Here's an idea....have you ever thought of leaving a Post It note or something?
Tow Guy:  Huh?
T:  I thought my car had been stolen!  You can imagine, I'm sure, how upsetting that was.  Clearly if you had left a Post It note indicating you had towed my car you would have saved me from calling 911.  It's just a suggestion, but perhaps one you should consider.
Tow Guy and Random Icky Guy:  bahahahahahahahahaha...yea

So, $264 later my car is delivered to me at the front door.  Yep, $264.  Here's the thing, only $150 of it was towing.  This girl had acquired $114 in parking tickets and not paid them.  Bad, bad T :(  So it was my fault.  Completely.  I accept that, and I'm not mad.  I got caught, I paid the price.  HOWEVER, I still maintain that a Post It note would have been simple common courtesy.

Now For the Best Part of the Story....

I get these yellow parking tickets in the side window of my car all of the time.  I save them.  I keep them in my console.  AND THEN....when I park, and don't pay, I cleverly slide them into the side window.  My thought process is that the parking attendant will think he's already ticketed me.  It works all the time.  Really, it does!  However, the last time it didn't work.  There was a second ticket in my window.  I just threw it into the console, and didn't read it.  UNTIL TODAY. 



Let's discuss...

First, please notice the date.  WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK!  The day before they towed my car!  Seriously?  How could I not read this and recognize that it was time to PAY UP? 

Second, they actually tried to warn me!

Third, I am a complete jerk.  And I get it.  And although I started laughing so hard when I found this in my console this morning, I also wanted to punch myself. 

And finally, it made me wonder....are most of the problems in my life self inflicted?  If I took the time to pay more attention to what was going on around me, would I save myself a lot of hassle?  Not to mention $150?

Lesson of the day kids...pay your parking tickets.  EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!

T

8 comments:

mrs.mfc said...

Thank goodness that terrible day is over with. What a train wreck. Yes, I can see the lesson of paying your parking tickets.. but the real lesson I am taking from this is Find A New Place To Park Downtown. Somewhere NOT Owned By Those Fine People. Maybe we should try street parking?? Hmmmm. We may have to go for a walk a scope out new spots.. clearly they're onto us. Lesson learned.

Kim Reese said...

Well, hope you've learned your lesson, you poor thing! Maybe this will make today a little brighter, a little surprise for you

http://mylifethroughpink.blogspot.com/2010/05/blog-award-for-me.html

alanna said...

hahahahahah well in all honesty i laughed a lot at this story - i'm really glad it worked out for you :)

Trish {Pink Preppy Lilly Lover} said...

You poor thing that sounds awfully traumatic! Thanks for the lesson on parking tickets. Have a great weekend T! Sending you a great big Trishy hug!

Jenny DB said...

OH MAN i think this might possibly be my most FAVORITE post of yours i have EVER read i am so glad i didn't miss it!!! ok so confession: i did that all the time (your trick) at duke.. and it worked. but tickets there were $150 yup you read that right. FUCKING RIDICULOUS> and i NEVER paid them, except they wouldn't GGIVE ME MY DIPLOMA until i paid my 6 outstanding parking tickets. which were all in my console.. and i used whenever i thought to or someone wasn't watching me.. some i couldn't use when they became too faded hahaha anyway, one final note, you need to send that picture along with the story (briefly) to www.passiveaggressivenotes.com PLEASE its hilarious :)

Whitney and the Preppy Puppies said...

I am so sorry about your crappy day. I hope everything with your loved one will be okay. :-)

Sunshine and Summertime said...

I bet you were so scared!! Clever though, how you put the ticket on your car so you wouldn't get another - that's something I might have done. ;)

MCW said...

That really stinks! But, kind of funny how the attendant called you out!