Vintage Stuff

You all don't know this, but I used to keep a blog before I moved to France. Yes, I know, how could I not share this information with you before. Well, mostly because it was a therapeutic writing exercise for me and some of the entries are very private. However, I recently received an e-mail from this other blog site saying that if I didn't post again soon my blog would be considered 'abandoned' and consequently, deleted. They can't do that, can they? Just delete ME?

So, I went to the site and started reading these old posts, to see if I cared whether it was deleted or not. Turns out I do care, but also turns out that if you're willing, I think I'd like to share just a few of these entries.

I'll post these entries here over the next couple of days, with their original titles and dates of post. There aren't but maybe a handful of them. Remember that these were written when I was working for 'The Agency' in DeKalb just prior to the move to France. The names will be changed to protect the innocent. I hope you enjoy these blasts from my past.

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The Little Green Troll - Posted May 8, 2003

Having small battle of wills with Little Green Ticket Man. You see I work in a five-story building that has enough parking around it for 15 cars. Let’s do the math; hmmm… probably 150± people work in this building? Am I the only one that sees the problem?

There is a public parking lot that is adjacent to our buildings lot that has probably 40 spaces, which is very handy. Or would be very handy except for the fact that it is a 2-hour parking lot. There is a 12-hour parking lot behind the businesses across the street, but it’s just not too convenient. At least not for me and especially in the winter (or when it rains, or when it’s too hot, or when the breeze is blowing or …).

So OK, the LGTM is a little troll like creature in green civil servant uniform pants and jacket (always the jacket) who walks the downtown DeKalb area in a route designed to allow the ‘parker’ exactly 2 ½ hours of parking time. He’s very meticulous and very prompt. I’ve paid many a $3.00 fine, because I’m not so prompt about moving my car every couple of hours. Really it makes no sense since it’s ok to move it over one space every couple of hours so long as it’s not in the same space. So where’s the logic in that? The same number of cars are always in that lot, they’re just playing musical spaces. Is this system designed specifically to irritate me?

Well then, today as I returned from lunch he was in the downstairs lot writing tickets and marking tires (with chalk). I decided to wait him out. I did not get out of my car until he was on his way down the road. Waited a bit longer and then went into the building. On my way up the stairs I look out the window and there he is! The Little Green Troll is coming back down the street toward the parking lot. Now I’m not saying he was waiting for me to get out of my car so he could mark it, or that the whole walking up the street thing was a ploy to trick me out of my car, but it sure as heck was suspicious. He goes over, marks my tire and proceeds down the street.

Well you KNOW I went right back out there and backed my car into the space across the lot. Take that you Little Green Troll!

This all just begs the questions – Is avoiding a $3.00 ticket worth all this aggravation? Wouldn't it be easier to just go ahead and park down the road in the 12 hour lot? Nah, that would be too easy, forget I even mentioned that option. Would it be considered a bribe if I just taped $3.00 to my windshield with a note asking him to just take the money and save me a trip downtown? Could I just meet him on Monday, hand him $15.00 and call it even for the week?