Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Minus the planes part. Last night we got a phone call at 1 a.m. from Theresa. She was at a club in Long Island with her friends. When she went back to the car, it was gone. Apparently this conversation took place when they arrived at the club.

Girls in the car: “Why don’t you park here. Look at all the spots.”
Theresa: “Uh, yeah and that must mean there’s a problem with parking here.”
Girls: “No, you can park here. There’s nothing that says otherwise.”

Instead of following her instincts, Theresa parks there. As a result of that, the car is towed. Since she comes home Saturday nights because she teaches religious education on Sunday mornings, we had to get her and bring her home.

Now anyone who is at all familiar with the Long Island Railroad knows it is not like the NYC subway which runs all through the night. Once it hits midnight, there’s a train maybe once an hour, sometimes once every two hours. At 2 a.m. when we are finally heading home, we get stopped at a railroad crossing. The dinging sounds off and there is no train in sight. We figure there is a problem with this crossing and cut down to the next major street. That one is down, too. What are the odds that an entire line will be faulty and not just 1 crossing?

Just before I am about to direct Frank as to how to go around to a street that has an elevated crossing, a repair truck pulls up and we get through. We finally get home and get to sleep.

Ah, but our car adventures aren’t over yet. First off, the snow that wasn’t supposed to happen until late this afternoon decided to come 12 hours early. We look out the window thinking how much fun it will be driving in this today to get the car & then to drive to the nursing home in the Bronx.

Then, we call up the police station for the village of Hempstead to find out how to get our car back. (Yes, I am going against my usual policy and naming the freaking town because I want the entire world to know how stupid that town is.) Oh, we can’t get the car on a Sunday. We have to wait until Monday. It seems they have enough money to hire people to answer phones and to tow cars on the weekends but no one can spring your car from impound.

One day I’ll look back at this and laugh. But not today.