This morning started out like every other morning. Get up, wash off the night face and put on the day face, do the hair etc etc. It wasn't until I jumped in the car and headed to work that I met some interesting characters along the way.
First one appeared as I waited to exit onto a main road off my side street. I could have gone but decided to wait for a little white car that was going a lot slower than I first thought. As it went passed I noticed the driver. I would say that he was a large tall man because there didn't seem to be much room around him. He was also seated so low down I swear he must have been sitting on the floor, but his head was still close to the roof. His posture was the cracker, he looked poised for the car to take off in a burst of speed at any moment. I can honestly say that this did not happen. In fact I think he slowed considerably once I got behind him. No this was not an old man, probably in his 30's-40's and wearing one of those
fluro yellow safety jackets.
Eventually I pulled over to get petrol. There were already two cars at the
bowser. The one in front was getting ready to leave, and the one behind was preparing himself to get out and pump the fuel. I thought if the 2
nd guy had any sense he would wait until the other car drove off, then move up and allow me to use the second pump while he used the first. The first car drove off and I thought the second would drive forward but instead he got out of the car. He was late teens or very early 20's and still very much asleep looking at the state of his face. I think he forgot his belt because I saw most of his undies as well. He gets half way around his car to the
bowser when he realises I am there. Slowly he walks back to his car and moved it forward. When I got out of my car I thanked him for his kindness. He smiled and then dropped his keys. A few minutes later he dropped the lid to his fuel tank which then rolled under his car. He managed to get the fuel pumping without spilling it and proceeded to text on his phone while pumping. I am sure I have been told that is dangerous. Don't know what
happened to him after that because I left before him.
Finally I get to where I park the car for work. Picture a line of cars all parked next to each other with 4 spare parking bays at the end. One lady (older than me and clearly needing more lessons in parking) decides she wants to park in the first free car bay next to the last parked car. She has driven a bit too far forward and wants to reverse so she holds up the 4 cars behind her waiting. She has a good 3m (6 foot) gap between her and the car behind but she doesn't move an inch. The car behind gives up and turns away to go park elsewhere (there is no where else). This is what she had been waiting for and now with a gap of at least 3 car lengths between her and me (I was the next car) she backs up all of 1 foot and then proceeds to park taking up 2 car parks. I take this rare opportunity to get passed her and park in the third vacant car park. I jump out, walk up the hill, fight with the machine to get it to accept my credit card and walk back to the car with my ticket. This took around 5 minutes (fussy machine) and she is still reversing, moving forward, reversing, moving forward and holding up those who are hoping to get to the last 2 parking spots. Finally she decides she is straight enough and gets out. As I walk away I notice that she is still as crooked as a dogs hind leg. What I don't get is why that car park. It would have been easier for her to take one of the others rather than reversing and pulling in at an awkward angle. There is a
Facebook page for
Perths 'cleverest' car parking. If only I had a video camera to post it there.
