Yup. That's hard.
Sometimes, however, I sit and look at the blank page and it just ... stays ... blank.
Well, that was on my mind as I pulled into the teeny-tiny parking lot behind the library here. I'm not kidding about the small size, either. I think there are 8 parking spaces out there, and if they are all taken and you pull up the long driveway beside the building and see you have to just turn and leave then you have a 27 point turn ahead of you unless you want to back right back up the driveway and out into traffic.
There is not a lot of room.
So I pulled back there and all the spots were taken. I started to gear up for my 27 points when I noticed an older gentleman (yes, Handsome, even older than me!) getting into one of the cars at the far end of the lot.
Excellent! It was raining, and I didn't want to have to carry my computer bag the 2 or 3 blocks I'd have to if I was parked up the street. I pulled over as far as I could, pinning a car into the Handicapped spot, but there was no one trying to leave in that car, so I just pulled up and waited.I was waiting a while, since the old boy had to get all situated in the car, back the length of the parking lot, and slide in next to me in order to then drive down the driveway and out to the street. It was while I was waiting that The Woman showed up.
I never saw her coming. I was busy watching the old gentleman's progress (wait, he was backing - would that be 'regress'?) when suddenly there was a minivan parked next to me, appearing with the stealth of a large, boxy ninja. A large boxy ninja with one bad wiper. And when I say 'next to me', I mean next to me! I had already pulled over as far as I could to be out of the guy's way, but she pulled up so close on my open side it must have looked to the people in the building like my mail truck was being frisked! She did not look at me, but waved the old man along, encouraging him to back around her and down the driveway.She was going for my spot!
She was so close I could not get out, but I could shout. I yanked the door open.
"Hey! Heeeeey! I was waiting for that spot!"No response as she brightly watched the man backing around her.
"Hey! Lady! Heeeeyyyy!"
Nothing.
Keep in mind, she was sitting on the left side of her car, and I was on the right side of my truck. She had pulled a little ahead of me, so as not to have to look at me, but she was, in reality, only 3 and a half or 4 feet away from me. With my door open there was nothing to stop her from hearing my voice but 1/4 an inch of glass.
That and her own willful, brightly cheery ignoring of my voice as she strong-armed the spot away from me.
"You #$%@!!"That got a response. She looked away and turned up the radio.
Strangely, I could hear her radio, but she was completely ignorant of my existence.
So I pushed the envelope of her ignorance. I ... uh ... used creative language. Quite loudly.
Eventually she pulled up into the spot, and I had to wait for the man to finish his maneuvering before I even attempted to get my truck out of there. He was on about point 16 of the turn when I decided I had the time.
I hopped out of the truck.
I strode through the rain, up behind the minivan now occupying my parking spot.
The Woman, who had been gathering her things and preparing to exit the vehicle, apparently became suddenly aware of me, as she pulled her leg back in and slammed the door.
I heard the door locks click.
She stared at me in the rear view mirror, and I stared right back as I stood about a foot behind her bumper, cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted at the top of my lungs.
"Thank you very much!"
Then I turned and strode back to my truck to begin my 27 point turn.
She stayed in her van until I was out of the parking lot. I parked up the street and walked back. I looked for her when I got in here, but she's nowhere to be found. I hope I see her before I leave.
I want to walk up and stop where she can see me, smile and wave.Talk to you later!
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