The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
- William Shakespeare
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Country Roads
"That line, 'almost heaven, West Virgina', I'd never actually been to West Virginia. I'm from Massachusetts and that would have fit, but I didn't really like Massachusetts and who writes a song about Massachusetts? How not cool that would have been."
-- Bill Danoff
Monday, April 4, 2011
There's a new sheriff in town
The parking situation at my place of employment is a complex beast replete with bureaucratic hoops to jump through, classism, color coding and invisible gates through which certain colors may not pass. It's complicated I tell you and even worse for it because to get any answers or explanations one must visit the transportation office personally and speak with a woman who steadfastly refuses to make eye contact with you. I'm not sure if she won't or cant make eye contact but either way I inevitably find myself either craning around on my tiptoes or sprawling oh so attractively across the counter trying to make her LOOK AT ME DAMMIT! This being said, beyond re-purchasing my rather expensive blue decal online each April, I do my best to avoid contact with Parking and Transportation Services.
On Monday morning though, my blue decal and I pulled into the garage closest to my office and by some strange happenstance managed to snag one of the thirteen spaces allotted to my low-ish decal level. Walking jauntily towards the stairs (because hey, I just got a rockin' sparkin' space man) I saw him standing in the shadows and knew right then and there that he meant business. He bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, gray polyester shorts fresh and crisp with socks pulled up neatly around his shins. Ticket machine in one hand, the other arm bent at a right angle as he examined his digital watch waiting, just waiting for the numbers to click over from 7:29 to 7:30. The clock ticked over and he was off, efficiently checking the cars in a methodical and rehearsed pattern and writing tickets for all those unfortunate night shift workers who didn't take the 7:30 deadline seriously. By 7:35 it was all over, yellow tickets fluttered silently on decal-less windshields and he was gone, moved on to metered and over-sized parking I assume.
His tenacious reinforcement of regulations reminded me instantly of my brother in law and for a moment I wondered if maybe Gabe had changed jobs and was in fact the gray parking menace. So much reminded me of him: the swift efficiency,the tube socks, the clear elation in bringing a swift and heavy hand of justice down upon those who disregarded the clearly posted rules. Alas it was not Gabe but another rule enforcer with a love of comfy feet.
All week long he's been here, poised to strike just outside the stairwell when the time changes. He's been caught in action several times by frustrated night shift nurses who return to find their cars besmirched by a little yellow envelope but their complaints fall on deaf ears. From whence he came I am not sure but his presence is pervasive and constant; there is a new sheriff in town.
On Monday morning though, my blue decal and I pulled into the garage closest to my office and by some strange happenstance managed to snag one of the thirteen spaces allotted to my low-ish decal level. Walking jauntily towards the stairs (because hey, I just got a rockin' sparkin' space man) I saw him standing in the shadows and knew right then and there that he meant business. He bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, gray polyester shorts fresh and crisp with socks pulled up neatly around his shins. Ticket machine in one hand, the other arm bent at a right angle as he examined his digital watch waiting, just waiting for the numbers to click over from 7:29 to 7:30. The clock ticked over and he was off, efficiently checking the cars in a methodical and rehearsed pattern and writing tickets for all those unfortunate night shift workers who didn't take the 7:30 deadline seriously. By 7:35 it was all over, yellow tickets fluttered silently on decal-less windshields and he was gone, moved on to metered and over-sized parking I assume.
His tenacious reinforcement of regulations reminded me instantly of my brother in law and for a moment I wondered if maybe Gabe had changed jobs and was in fact the gray parking menace. So much reminded me of him: the swift efficiency,the tube socks, the clear elation in bringing a swift and heavy hand of justice down upon those who disregarded the clearly posted rules. Alas it was not Gabe but another rule enforcer with a love of comfy feet.
All week long he's been here, poised to strike just outside the stairwell when the time changes. He's been caught in action several times by frustrated night shift nurses who return to find their cars besmirched by a little yellow envelope but their complaints fall on deaf ears. From whence he came I am not sure but his presence is pervasive and constant; there is a new sheriff in town.
Quote of the Day: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory edition
"So shines the good deed in a weary world."
- Willy Wonka
- Willy Wonka
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