Sat outside City Hall for half an hour today. In a 10-minute zone. Reading my car manual.
I taught all day, Reiki, at the University. Wait, I have to go back to Friday. Car inspection on the last day of the month, squeaked it in. Wonderful mechanic noticed no stickers on my license plate. I thought I took care of the registration, a while back. Online. Yes. Registration in glove box, dated April. But it's July and no stickers. Where are the stickers?
I looked all through the car. Came home and looked in the several likely places. I vaguely remember them arriving in the mail, but it was raining, so set them down. Somewhere.
Today I taught all day, in Augusta. Back to Lewiston quick, before City Hall closes. Parked on a hill, in aforementioned 10-minute zone. Got the stickers, 50 cents. Back in the car it starts to rain. Then pour. I put in the key but can't turn it. Can't turn the steering wheel either.
So I sat in my car for half an hour reading the car manual. It directed me to press the STOP AND START button, but my car doesn't have one of those. So I emailed a friend, whose office was right across the street. I was embarrassed. Felt so stupid. First losing the stickers, and now stuck. In the rain. On a hill. In a zone. And just wanted to go home.
The police station was down the street, and many drove by. No one stopped to get me out of the 10-minute zone. I eyed passing males. Most looked sketchy. Scary. Inner city. I kept reading. Remembered my road-side assistance card, dialed the number.
Then I heard a text buzz in. Was friend. "Jiggle," he instructed. Jiggle the steering wheel while turning the key. I jiggled. Nothing. Jiggled some more. It worked!
When stuck in front of City Hall, on a hill, in the rain, in a zone: jiggle. When you haven't got a STOP AND START button: jiggle. When in a sticky situation: jiggle.
