Tuesday, April 11, 2006

I don't heart NY...

At least not today!!! So I arrived in NYC Sunday night. I met my friend outside her apartment and then we drove around looking for a spot to park. We found one that was a little scary for parallel parking but options were limited. I tried and did it PERFECTLY the first try!! Yeah! So we went to her apartment, chatted it up and went to sleep. We headed out and walked past my car to check on it... but alas it was not there. We tried to figure out how to find out if and where it was towed. Then I realized I didn't know my license plate number... oops. After a dozen phone calls to my parents, my insurance agent, the car registery in Sherwood Park, I finally got the info I needed. I called the City of NY and went through the automated system to find out they didn't have record of my car. So we tried more numbers... nothing! So then I called 911 (advice of my friend... I was terrified). I was surprised with the response time of the NYPD. I thought for sure I would be the last thing on their list. They were very helpful even though they thought we were the dumbest girls EVER!! They gave us more numbers to call. The first one confirmed that they had my car and told me where to pick it up. It was on the opposite side of town. After riding the subway and walking for what seemed like forever we found the place for towed cars. We waited in line as the workers took their sweet time to help us. I get up to pay the $185 tow fee and the lady says "you know your car isn't here, right?" Umm... no! So she told us where it was... back where we started, by my friends apartment. We walked and rode back to where we started. Finally we found the car pound and saw Norm (my car). The man let me in as my friend took pictures. I got my car and a $45 ticket. Apparently they can't just tow your car, they have to ticket it then tow! It was so good to get into my car! I didn't want to get out of it... EVER! But I did. I decided to come home today. My back has been KILLING me. It has hurt since Friday- I can't stand or walk for long periods of time- not a good thing in NYC. My friend had to work today so I would have been exploring by myself- not a good thing with a bad back (and being terrified to let my car out of my sight). I still don't know if I am going to carry on to Ottawa. If all is well when I wake up tomorrow morning, I will go. We shall see.

3 comments:

Kristi said...

What a story! sadness that your trip is cut short. Happiness that Norm is Ok. Sad he cost you so much bucks. Hope your back is better!

Anonymous said...

Glad you got your car back! It's too bad that you had to go through all of that! Perhaps you saw more of NYC this way! hehe! I hope your back feels better today! ~Mikaela

Kim said...

Oh Shelley...what a story! Hope your back is feeling better.