I was walking towards my car when I
heard a long series of unique siren wails. One car away from mine, a
guy was standing with his hands on his hips, the bonnet and boot of his
car wide open. There was no car blocking mine (no double parking), so I
quickly placed my bag in my car and went back to pay for my parking
ticket. I was aware of the 15 minutes exit time, hence the check of
double-parking cars.
The
second time I walked past the guy, he was holding a very big umbrella.
Imagine that: a tall guy in blue jeans and white T-shirt holding a
very big, blue-grey umbrella.
Unexpectedly,
he turned around and faced me directly. I recognised him from earlier this morning, when he practically "invigilated" me while I reverse parked my car.
He was taller than me. I had to crane my neck and look up at him while he was asking me loads of questions. Also, I had a sudden urge to laugh because in my mind's eye I saw a French noble lady with a parasol.
He was taller than me. I had to crane my neck and look up at him while he was asking me loads of questions. Also, I had a sudden urge to laugh because in my mind's eye I saw a French noble lady with a parasol.
"Do
you have a student ...? Do you drive? Do you have a car? Do you have a
spanner, no, screwdriver or something?" There were other questions along
these lines, but I couldn't for the life of me recall what those were. Too many.
Bottom line: he wanted a screwdriver.
Without
hesitation, I told him that I had no such thing with me, or anything
that resembled it. He looked crestfallen. I looked away and moved
towards my car, hell bent on getting out of the hot, cramped car park.
He
still didn't give up hope and came back asking, "Do you have a toolbox
in your car? Maybe a screwdriver in it?" I was tempted to show him some
sass by picking apart the word "screwdriver" and throwing it back to
him, but being the sweet boy I was, I held back. "I just took it out
yesterday. Sorry." He left me for good.
A
car materialised out of nowhere, its driver asking me non-verbally
whether I was leaving. In reply, I turned on my car signals. Who knew Umbrella
Guy bounded to this new driver and asked the same question(s). The
new driver moved his car nearer, directly double-parking Umbrella Guy.
There were other double-parked cars, so I couldn't turn right at all. No
exit.
I waited. And waited, until I didn't want to wait anymore. I took a risk turning left and went against the "flow". Luckily no other cars were present.
I felt bad for not helping Umbrella Guy, but I did have plans after class and none of them involved a screwdriver :P.
I felt bad for not helping Umbrella Guy, but I did have plans after class and none of them involved a screwdriver :P.
