I was so excited…
This was going to be a momentous day in my life…
I had finally managed to save $500 with the specific intent of investing it in the stock market for my four children.
But I needed to buy an Investors Business Daily to begin researching. It cost 75 cents to buy the paper…and I had NO cash.
I knew that the Citibank where we normally bank was destroyed in the earthquake so I drove to see if the Encino branch was open. I figured that I could withdraw the money and buy the paper at a vending machine on the street since I would be in the financial district.
As I turned onto Ventura Blvd. and pulled up in front of the bank, I saw that, although the bank was damaged, it had not been destroyed.
AND it was actually open!
Since the street was completely vacant, I parked in the spot directly in front of the bank, turned the car off and hurried inside. As I entered the bank, I realized that I was the only customer! I headed directly to the counter and withdrew $20 and got one dollar in change.
As I hurried back out to the car, I kept thinking, “This is so great! I am actually going to do this! This is so great!”
I opened the door, jumped into the seat and went to start the car…
and saw a parking ticket on my window…
“What???
“You’ve got to be kidding me!
“I was only gone four…maybe five minutes!
I looked for the meter maid who wrote it to plead my case…
Nowhere in sight!
I opened the door, stood up and pulled the ticket off of my windshield…
$330???
“Handicap parking zone???
In disbelief, I looked up and sure enough, there was a little sign…
I just parked there because it was the closest to the front door. I could have parked anywhere…literally…because every spot on both sides of the street was available! I was just so overjoyed that the bank was open that I never even looked!
I felt like I just got punched in the gut by Muhammad Ali. I was crushed!
So, the money that I was going to invest for my children will now be used to pay a parking ticket!!!
