Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Just my luck.

This morning, after I got out of the shower, I slipped in my bathroom and fell. Well "fell" really isn't the right word - it was more like a "feet flying in the air/sliding across a wet floor/slamming into the wall head-first" kind of thing. In fact, it was EXACTLY that kind of thing. And I won't disturb you with details on how far along in the dressing-myself process I was or was not but, suffice it to say, I was not prepared and/or appropriately dressed for that little adventure. One minute I'm singing along contentedly to the radio and the next minute I'm riding a Slip N Slide across my bathroom floor, thinking "Is this a bad omen?"

I should have just gone back to bed.

But I didn't. Instead, I went on to court for a scheduling conference on a new case that I just filed against a new perv. As I was walking toward the courtroom, one of the heels on my shoes slipped on the slick tile and threatened to roll my ankle and/or flip me onto my backside. My arms flailed frantically and, somehow, I was able to catch myself. I looked around quickly to see if anyone had seen me so that I'd know if I needed to kill any eye-witnesses in order to protect my dignity. But no one had seen so I took a deep breath, pulled myself together, and walked on into the courtroom thinking, "Was that ANOTHER bad omen?"

I should have just gone back home right then and there.

But I didn't. I went on into the courtroom and was informed by my boss of some issues that had just come up on one of my cases. They weren't big issues but they were enough to make my eye start twitching. And I knew right then that my heel-slipping and my "bathroom-turned-water-slide" were more than just accidents - they were messages from the Lord Himself telling me to GO HOME.

But did I? No.

I went on to work and, when it was time to decide where to go to lunch, we decided to do Double Dave's because it was Fat Tuesday and we needed to celebrate it in style. All I wanted at Double Dave's were the pizza rolls and the chocolate chip pizza so, as soon as I paid, I went to the buffet, picked up a plate, and found myself staring at an empty spot where the pizza rolls should have been.

Oooooooooooof course.

But, eventually, they put the pizza rolls on the buffet and I ate to my heart's content. And when it was dessert time, I practically hurdled over the other tables to get back up to the buffet for my chocolate chip pizza yumminess. But, wouldn't you know it, there was none there. That's when I shook my fists at the sky and shouted "WHY????" . . . until the lady brought a fresh chocolate chip pizza out to us.

I'm not a superstitious person but I must say that, looking back on my day, I think maybe I should have taken the hint and just crawled back into bed. But I didn't do it because there was a light at the end of my tunnel . . . I was getting together with some of the girls from work for a movie night. I always have fun with those girls so I knew that, if I could just get through the day and not get myself killed, I'd have a fun night hanging out with them.

So I got to my movie night at my friend Audrie's place. As I walked to her apartment, I felt relief that the day was over and that I could finally just relax and watch a movie with my friends. So that's what I did - I relaxed, laughed with my friends, laid on a couch, and watched a movie. No cares in the world - it was the perfect ending to a day that didn't start out quite right.

After the movie was over, I left Audrie's apartment and my friend Erin and I walked toward where our cars were parked. Aaaaaaaaaaand that's when I saw that my car had been towed.

Yep.

Towed.

So I stood around the parking lot for about 45 minutes trying to figure out where my car was and how much it was going to cost me. I knew that a company called "Quik Tow" had towed it because some residents had complained that there weren't any spots available by their units for them to park in. And, although there were no signs around ANYWHERE indicating that visitors were not allowed to park in those spaces, my car was towed because I didn't have a parking permit for the complex.

It was awesome.

So, after I found out where my car was and that it was going to cost me $200, I headed over to the storage lot to pick her up. A driver met me there to do the paperwork, run my credit card, and return my car to me. When I gave him my driver's license, he saw my badge for work and asked me about it. I told him what I do for a living and then he said something amazing to me: "I'd like to extend you a professional courtesy and release your car to you free of charge."

I stood there dumbstruck while he explained that he really appreciated what I do for a living and that he wanted to do that for me. I wanted to start kissing the bullet-proof glass between us but felt that was inappropriate and might work against me in the end. So, instead, I just thanked him profusely and got his card from him. And I thought I'd pass his name along to you all so that you could give him a call if you ever need a wrecker: his name is Joe with "Quik Tow" (yes, I'm spelling that right) and his number is 713-409-9420. He really was a nice man and he DEFINITELY didn't need to do that for me so I hope you'll keep him in mind the next time you lock your keys in your car or need a tow truck for some reason.

So, imagine that - a bad day made right by a tow truck driver of all people. I mean, that's not a profession that gets to bring a lot of joy to people's lives, you know? But Joe brought joy to mine, that's for sure. And I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.

So now I'm heading to bed to put an official end to a crazy day that started out with a bruised ego on my bathroom floor and ends with a happy heart and a car in my driveway . . .

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nora Lyons Palmore - Catherine, I would so love to jump on your "what a great guy that tow truck driver was", but I can't. No, No. Talk about finding a needle in a haystack! So congratulations on finding the needle while most of the rest of us have gotten the hay. That is if I have that expression right. Now if the expression is "finding the shaft in a haystack" most of the rest of us have no difficulty at all. Been there, done that! Nice tow truck driver indeed! Where is my Valium!

Jill said...

Soooo, I'm pretty sure I heard a "non-Catherine" version of that story from Erin (at the office, not your sister). Sounded more like Joe gave you a professional courtesy to not get busted for the shady towing he did. So who do I believe? Catherine "I see the best in everyone even if there is no best" Palmore or Erin? Hmmmm.

Joe Kearns said...

Wow... I just ran across your blog Catherine. I was showing someone the trick of googling a phone number and used mine to demonstrate. Your blog was the first result. Thank you for your kind words. I must say though in my defense that signs are posted. The apartments are re responsible for signage and enforcement of their policy. I appreciate the opinions regarding the "tow truck drivers" stereo typically. That's what makes it all the easier for me to shine. Thanks again for what you do.