Continuing on Wednesdays post of living in that old flat of my Aunts when I was a young person.
My Aunt never would allow us to park in her driveway. We had to do street parking. But in this town with all its snow there are even/odd parking days for snow removal in the city.
This was only for certain times of the year and it was clearly posted on the sign right in front of our apartment.
So on an even day like March 4th, you could park on our side of the street.
On March 5th you would have to park on the opposite side of the street.
When I tell people this they furrow their brow and think it is odd.
And I get that.
But think about those 150+ inches of snow a year. You must be able to plow and right up to the curb. You must be able to plow so people can get out. People did not miss school or work due to 35 inches of snow that fell overnight - NEVER happened.
Snow removal there is a well-oiled machine there because it had to be.
Unlike where I live now and schools are closed on the possible threat of a storm of 1 - 2 inches. Wussies.
Rick was always parking on the wrong side.
He ran home once to pee and change his shirt and ran back out to his car.
In those 5 minutes, he got a ticket.
This man has his vehicle "booted" so many times he made friends with the boot cop.
We were sitting in the Sunroom one day and Rick looks out the window and says, "Ah damn it, the boot cop is here"
Oh, Richard not again!
So Rick yells out the window and waves to him.
The cop laughs and waves.
They chatted from the window. He and Rick built a relationship over the years.
One evening after work we went to our favorite pub for a quick dinner and drinks. Who walks in? The Boot Cop.
He sees Rick and Rick sees him at the same time.
They acted like they were long lost friends.
The boot cop bought Rick a beer. Rick said for all the money he has in tickets he should buy him a beer.
The guy was so nice but seriously Rick has issues with this parking.
He'd forget he had a ticket. He'd shove it in the glove box. I gave up saying anything to him about it. We were not married and this was before there was "our" money. He had his money and I had mine. I was not going to mother him he was an adult. If he wanted to spend all his money giving it to the city for parking fines so be it.
When we were moving Rick saw the boot cop down the street.
Rick told him we were moving but I'm sure the next tenant would keep him busy in front of our old apartment. They actually shook hands and said their goodbyes. I found that all very humorous.
Who makes friends with their boot cop?
Then again, who the hell forgets they have tickets so many times that they get the boot?
9 comments:
We have odd/even parking here too. It's a royal but necessary pain. I'll bet most people don't make friends with the boot cop. Rick was probably a breath of fresh air compared to the irate people the he usually dealt with.
Jean, it must be a winter mid-west thing then, the even-odd parking. Yes, it is a royal pain in the butt. One time when the boot cop came Rick yelled out the window - Hey I've missed you. The cop yelled back, "I knew it that is why I came today!" It was funny, but honestly, Rick was young and irresponsible with his life in so many ways. Thank goodness he outgrew most of that. (most)
I think it is very nice that Rick did not resent the boot cop for doing his job and the the cop did not perceive Rick as someone just out to get hid goat by continuously parking in the wrong spot. Soletimes lately I forget that people can be nice, even kind, to each other.
Olga, Rick only has a short fuse with me😁
I too find it a struggle everyday because people are so damn mean. Mean and entitled seem to the people that call me.
I'm sitting here trying to think if I ever had a parking ticket. Nothing is coming to mind but I must have had one or two over the years.
Rick and the boot cop should run for office. They know how to take what life gives us with a smile and no hard feelings. Really refreshing.
Patti, well now Rick knew he was wrong. How can you get mad when you know you did the wrong thing? Well, that is how we see it anyway. Rick and I always see the funny and I swear that is what gets us through all these difficult times we are having. And side note - you would never ever wish for Rick to run for office. He is unfiltered 100% and he wasn't always like this. he is a stereotype of an old man I told him the other day. He laughed and said "good thing because I am an old man now." If trump said a stupid thing as he does every day Rick would tell him he was an ass. He would never last in politics. :-) He can't kiss an ass for his life.
Seriously, I think some men have this ingrained rebellious streak so if they are not mean or rotten types the rebellion comes out in these small but odd habits. What a goofball. Even though I would hate that moving the car business, I'd hate giving the city my money even more.
Somewhere we lived, we had odd/ even parking. I think it was upstate New York. But how funny that Rick and the boot cop formed a positive relationships over Rick's messups!
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