Working in the beer business can be hard to dress for. On one hand, we are supposed to look professional and dressy and on the other hand, at times, we are expected to crawl around on dirty floors and check keg labels and carry heavy loads.
Yesterday I got up and got dressed, ignorantly putting on a notoriously uncomfortable pair of heels. When I got out my front door I realized it was raining but didn’t have the time to go back inside and rethink my footwear. I decided to make the most of it and had no idea just how much this decision would impact my day and my checkbook.
Fast forward a few hours and one of my accounts needed a bunch of goodies for a super bowl promotion I am holding for them. Amongst these items were a giant chalkboard, some pennant stringers, a million and a half cozies, and a handful of special pricing signs I had made. None of these items are too much to bear and with a few trips inside, I got in and all unloaded. One thing about this account is that everything on the menu is greasy. Were talking burgers, fries and tots- so you can imagine how silly I looked, slipping and sliding around in my ridiculous heels mixed with rain and greasy floors. Needless to say, when I was done I went home to change shoes.
When I arrived to my apartment complex, despite it being the middle of the day, there were no spaces close to my building and it was still raining- though I had an umbrella in the door of my car, the thought of making the trek back to my building in the rain and in my heels deterred me. When I say there were no close spaces, I mean close. Not just that I didn’t want to cross a small span of concrete, there was nothing within hundreds of yards. I decided against my better judgment to pack in a covered spot as I would only be inside a few minutes. Part of this decision was made easier by the fact that the owner of this covered spot never seems to be at home around the same time I am. You see, working in outside sales affords me the luxury of going home at lunch or at any other time during the day if I need. If I need my gym bag, or want to eat cheap and healthy home is where you will find me. I have never one time seen this man in his designated space when I was home.
Do you see where I am going with this yet?
About 25 minutes later (I may or may not have gotten sidetracked checking my email) I walked out the front door and down the stairs in my comfortable shoes only to find the parking space in which I left my car EMPTY. So many things went through my mind: “surely I just imagined parking there,” “maybe someone moved it?” “did someone steal it?”
…..Panic sets in.
I immediately called the leasing office as there were no tow away signs or no number posted anywhere to call should your car allofasuddenoutofnowhere disappear into thin air.
I am informed that they did not call in a tow but was provided a number to call to see what on earth may be going on.
Sure enough, they have my car- it has not even been taken off of the rig and I was informed that I would need to “come to such and such Blah Street with $193.30” to get my car back. One slight hitch, the car is not mine. It belongs to my company. I will also need a “notarized affidavit providing proof that I am the driver of said vehicle.”
STRESS. Of course, I start to cry… the woman on the other end of the line, who seems to have no soul is not at all bothered and hangs up on me. In fact, she goes as far as saying “frankly, whether or not you can get here as we took your car is irrelevant to me”- I could have reached through the phone and slapped her.
Ill spare you all the rest of the horrible details and run around that my afternoon consisted of but I will tell you this- no matter how quick you think you will be in and out of your home, even if its “only to change your shoes” never park in this mans spot. He just may come home to pay his rent, run inside to get his checkbook, drop off his rent and tell on you for being in his spot. Have no fear, he wont need to park there and he wont even be at his apartment anymore by the time your car is missing- but he wants his space open. Just for the sake of it.
Sure, I get that I would also be annoyed if I randomly came home to find someone else in my spot… but MY PHONE NUMBER IS ON THE DOOR OF MY CAR!!!!! Just call it, or leave a nasty note to deter me from ever even considering ruining your life again. But please, do not call in a tow and leave- not even needing the space at all for yourself!!!!!!!!
As I sat in the dumpy trailer and waited all the paperwork to go through and my first born to be promised to the sketchy tow people, another woman came inside. I couldn’t help but notice she was wearing heels that looked a lot like the ones that caused my day to unravel. She says that she has been towed from the hospital as she parked in a spot that was not clearly marked- you see, her daughter was in labor and she was in a hurry. Her excuse beats mine by a long shot. She has a wad of cash in her hand and I could tell she wanted nothing more than to head back to the hospital and see her grandchild. Turns out, she is $1.30 short. I quickly pulled the amount from my own wallet and handed it to her declaring, “I'm trying to turn my luck around”
Sigh. What a horrible Monday. To think Id considered shopping for a new purse online while I was home. I wonder how long it would have been until I noticed my car was gone had I done that.
Only in my world. The world where I set tuna on fire and get my car towed all within a week.
