Sometimes Making Notes In The Dark Be Like That.

Sometimes making notes in the dark be like that.

I'm resisting adding a :3

UNACCEPTABLE part 2

So I just finished ranting about an unattended camp fire I found Tuesday night this week. And on the Monday I came across a six foot A-frame ladder in the left lane of Highway 406.

Two lanes each way with a broad ditch in between. Country, no street lights. Just half an hour before sunset.

How long had it been there?

Traffic was light, so cars were just drifting aside to pass it, but what about when the sun set? One distracted driver not processing what the weird rectangle ahead of them was?

So I pull over, spin the bike, drive back, and chuck it off into the grass.

Did I save a life? Or at least a damaged vehicle? Maybe? But who left it? Who was like "oh well I can't back up so I guess I'll just go buy a new ladder"? Did they even notice it fell off? How could they NOT?

Un-fucking-acceptable.

And when they cut your pay/hours/benefits for no reason maybe you can get your XBOX to collectively bargain your employer for you with the help of your PlayStation. Wow! Thanks XBOX!

At least the view is nice.

-teeth grits- Plaid overshirts in the 90s and early 2000s.

Durable. Versatile. Hide damage and stains well. Warm. Soft.

And then the hipsters came along.

I suffered through mockery and humiliation just for these damn posers to grow a neckbeard and buy a newsie cap and call it their own unique fashion.

Selling it at godsdamned Hot Topic.

In MY day you had to hunt the thrift stores because the only NEW shirts at Zellers were orange and purple patterned!

And then everyone now just presumes I'm one of them.

I don't even LIKE vinyl!

does anyone else secretly have that “i liked it before it was cool” complex but wont admit it

My week continues.

So I'm in the pickup with Dad and Garwik and we're driving through downtown St. Catharines. All sorts of stop walks and pedestrian crossings. So when an extended U-Haul truck tries to left turn across the street into a parking lot, it's painfully obvious he can't make the turn with all the beautification and pedestrianation of the area.

But now he can't back out because of impatient drivers slinking past behind him. So he tries to pull in more. And that's when I see the damaged car down the road.

Uhoh.

I hate debris on the road. So I -let me outtttt- and dive out the door to jog over and move the debris.

A nearby young woman asks "is this your car?" as I snap photos for posterity evidence and then chuck all the cheap plastic car shards into a pile.

"Naw," I reply, checking up and down the street. "Just moving this stuff so no other cars get damaged." Her dad was driving the U-Haul, and yes, it had clipped the car trying to pull into the space ahead of it.

Apparently the car had been there all night. I look around for signage, because of the weird white slashes on the road.

As the Google earth cap shows, No Stopping, Loading Zone Only. So this car isn't supposed to be here. But that doesn't change much.

We're debating what to do when we hear "WHAT THE FUCK?!!"

"Found the owner," I quip, gaze falling on a scruffy looking older middle aged man losing his shit as he approaches. "Who did this?!?" He turns to glare at me and the girl.

The girl starts to explain her dad clipped it with a U-Haul truck and this guy starts spewing threats and curses on her, and I'm like "Newp."

I love playing Tanks in MMOs. Getting and focusing a monster's hatred to keep my group safe, surviving the battering blows and walking away victorious... That's a thankless job. So here's my forte IRL.

"Hold on a minute buddy. You're not even supposed to be parked here. This wouldn't have even happened if you had been following the law," I point out in an accusatory tone, stepping in front of the girl and glaring up at him.

He doesn't know what to make of me. "I'm allowed to park here!" he roars. "I live here!" He flails behind him abstractly at the multi level buildings. "I live here, too," the girl challenges, pointing up to her right. "We've already done four loads and you've been here since last night."

"I haven't!" he protested. Keeping his attention on me, I point out "Either way, you're NOT allowed to park here. This is a LOADING ZONE."

"I -WAS- loading!" he declares. "What, exactly?" I challenge incredulously. Can't cram THAT much in a shitty black four door car. "I had GROCERIES!" he states. "Where else was I SUPPOSED to park?!?"

"How about... In your parking spot? Seeing as you 'live here'? So probably have one?"

Now he was zero'd in on me as the biggest threat. I was bluffing out my ass, but it was working. Was he allowed to drop off groceries there? I don't know. But that doesn't excuse him being rude.

"I'm allowed to be here," he seethes.

"This is a TRUCK loading and unloading zone for THESE LOCAL businesses," I jab a finger at the sign. And just to up the ante on his attitude, I lift my phone. "And I'm calling the police."

"Go ahead!" he flails, and storms off. Much to my relief.

I 'understand'. He's panicking. His car is busted. It's partially his fault. He's scared and stressed, and when men get scared and stressed they get angry. Loud and angry solves a lot of problems by scaring them into submission. Beat chest, roar. Girl panic. Pay for car.

Newp.

So I apologise to the dispatcher but explain the situation, and that the one involved party was being aggressive, and I was concerned things might escalate, so could an officer swing by and help keep things civil. No, no injuries. Yes, everyone is here-ish. Details and names and numbers. Someone will be over shortly.

In the meanwhile, the girl's dad, mum, and brother have returned. The U-Haul is parked up the street. He's understandably sheepish. Have their licence and registration ready. He goes off to get those from the rental.

Car guy comes back so I relay the dispatch directions. "That's what I'm DOING," he huffs, slipping into the passenger side. He tries to challenge the family again as he leaves, but I'm more at ease with her other family members there. I hear something along the lines of "I was bringing out suitcases!!" Suitcases out or groceries in, buddy?

A police SUV rolls up, so I approach the passenger side and remain at a distance while the officer does his computer work. He beckons me over.

I recap events, in regards to the incident, the involved parties, and my concern of the situation escalating prompting my call. He takes me details and says he'll call me if he needs more.

I back up, and Car-guy dives into the window to make sure the cop hears HIS side first. Good luck with that.

I go for the moving family, and mention I've got damage photos if they want. Girl says to text her. Oh sshit, I can do that! Amazing technology!

Her people seem to be like 'well this is shitty but life happens.' I apologise for pulling aggro but they seem grateful. "Anyways, this is why people have insurance," she points out. I glance back at the car, some shiny stupid generic American SUV. Cadillac. Isn't that one of the richey boy brands? "Car like this, I'm sure he can afford it," I snort.

"Oh, but," the girl laughs. "This is the replacement car he was givin for totalling his vehicle just last week." ... "And he said his insurance company told him, if he wrecked THIS one, they'd drop him." ....

Well no damn wonder he was losing his shit. Buddy just plain sucks at driving. Or following rules.

Anyways. Good times.