Nope, I Didn't Write It

 On February 12th, hubby handed me a page from the Saturday newspaper and said, "This looks like something you wrote."  The article in The TorontoStar: "Women with children are not handicapped" by Lorraine Sommerfeld covers many but not quite all of my sentiments.                              
                               

 For some time, I have been bending hubby's ear about these particular signs ("Parking For Customer With Child" and "Expectant Mothers") which are sprouting in public parking areas everywhere. I have been reluctant to express my opinion in writing. At the risk of sounding like a bitter, older person, envious of opportunities which were not afforded my generation, I shall share my thoughts now.

Sommerfeld's article makes many good points. Pregnancy is neither an illness, nor a handicap and should not be treated as either when it comes to parking lots. Courtesy seating on buses and subways is another matter entirely. I too would expect people on public transit to give up seats not only to expectant women but also to the elderly. That's how I was raised.  Sommerfeld suggests that parking in specialized "customer with child" prime locations not only deprives parents and children of exercise, but also of a learning opportunity. As it is, children are chauffeured everywhere and fitness levels are steadily declining. I couldn't agree more.

Believe me, I've heard all the arguments. "What about the winter time, when they have strollers and there's snow?"

What about it?  If the weather is too inclement, is it really necessary to bundle up the kids, go out and risk your children's lives by driving to stores and shopping malls? Do parents bring strollers into every locale with them? Are retail store parking lots not cleared of snow even sooner than our own roads and driveways?   

I would like to ask those who feel the need for these signs, where are the parking spots for the elderly? Let's just say, those over 65 or 70 or 75 who wake up in the morning with aching, arthritic joints. With our aging population, the numbers who fall into this category are rapildy increasing. They don't necessarily qualify as handicapped and with all the megastores around nowadays, it's challenging enough for older people to comfortably negotiate these huge areas to make their purchases. Why should they also have to park further away and walk because of these spots which are reserved for the young and healthy? At least give them an equal opportunity to get one of the closer spots by removing these ridiculous signs.

This whole thing is folly. Studies have shown that the next generation is less healthy and will not live as long as ours. This coddling is part of the reason. What will happen to the youngsters produced by the current generation?  Are they already being taught inactivity before they're born and having that message reinforced during their formative years?

That's just my commentary on Lorraine Sommerfeld's article which in my opinion is receiving far too much criticism.

Vehicle Vexation and Hyundai Hindrance

Yesterday was a very weird day. Sometimes we have those don't we? Nothing occurred that was particularly bad, and nothing happened that was especially good, unless you are, as I am, at an age where you consider waking up in the morning to be momentous.

Since the weather of late has been horrid, and I've been more housebound than I would like, I recently made the rather unfortunate choice of cutting my own hair...with nail scissors. I could almost hear my whiny teacher voice shrieking, "Scissors are for cutting paper, nothing else!" But I was undaunted. Like the kindergarten student who experiments with a newly discovered tool, using it to chew off massive chunks of locks, I could not be deterred. The result wasn't terrible, if I chose never to leave the house again. On the other hand, it wasn't salon quality either. Not even close!

Yesterday morning I decided to do something to improve on my coiff. My primary criteria were cheap and local. I needed a place that would be a step above my own bathroom and nail scissors. So I located a fairly inexpensive, unisex hairdresser and parked our old van in a spot with the vehicle pointing almost directly at the front door of the salon. The shop was located in a small strip mall that also houses a pet store, a bulk food store, a pizza place and the like. After confessing to the stylist what had happened, she went to work without comment or judgement. She trimmed and evened out my hair as best she could and I headed back to the van. That's when I saw a delivery truck that had been abandoned directly behind me. I was trapped.

"Why couldn't he park in one of the empty spots on either side of me?" I wondered.

 Since the strip mall had limited entertainment value, and I did not require another haircut, I sat in the van and waited. I waited and waited until the driver finally returned, got into his vehicle and left. He did not offer an apology. In fact, there was no evidence of guilt or remorse on his face. I was disgusted and rushed home to inform hubby. He was so immersed in his work that he would occasionally nod and respond with "uhhuh" as I blathered on about the rudeness of this driver.

In the afternoon, I was going to use my Hyundai rather than the van to travel to another town for a doctor's appointment. Hubby had left the car in the neighbour's driveway (another long story) and as I looked, I saw a vehicle parked directly behind it. "Arghhhhh"....I came back in the house, and trotted into his office where my beloved spouse was hard at work once again. I pointed out the window. He looked baffled. I said, "Look in the neighbour's driveway."

He responded with, "So? Ask them to move."

I sheepishly went back and tapped softly on my neighbour's door. She answered. While staring at my feet and turning several shades of fushia, I requested that the car be moved so that I might back out.

I arrived at the doctor's and parked my car between the appropriate lines in the lot. Something didn't feel right as I quickly selected my space, but alas, I was in a hurry and didn't give it another thought. Here's what I returned to discover.


BMW in front, Jeep behind. What's a Hyundai to do?

I was in a designated parking spot as were all the cars on either side of me. The Jeep behind wasn't there when I arrived, but was also appropriately parked between yellow lines. I was trapped yet again! After searching the medical centre, a fitness club, a flower shop and a travel agency and surveying the entire population of these buildings and offices, I determined that all I could do was wait. Once again, I waited and I waited, this time for almost an hour. The lot was meant for building tenants and customers and nobody laid claim to either the improperly parked BMW or the Jeep. The owner of the travel agency offered his sympathies and suggested calling the police.

It was at that moment that my problem solving skills finally kicked in. Who would drive a BMW and abandon it in the driveway of a parking lot? I dashed back up the stairs to the doctor's office and explained the problem to the receptionist, asking whether the doctor drives a BMW. She chuckled. Then she inquired why I hadn't asked sooner. The unamused expression on my face caused her to quickly grab her coat and request the doctor's keys. After trying for several minutes, she managed to make the BMW move.

Who would imagine that this could happen to me three times in one day? I rushed home thrilled that I had yet another story to tell hubby. "You'll never guess what happened to me...again. Remember this morning when I told you about the truck?" I said excitedly.

"Did she move it out of her driveway?" he asked.