Tic-Tac-Towed

Last night we had a fun night with friends (celebrating our friend Katelyn's birthday). Jeffrey and I knew we would probably bow out early since we had church in the morning, so we took our car and everyone else piled up in Jordan's car. At one point, we had to park in an empty lot next to the place where we wanted to go.

At around 12 am, Jeffrey and I left to head home, but were greeted by...an empty parking lot. All the way empty. Like, none of the 6 cars that had been there before (including ours and Jordan's) were there.

THAT is not a good feeling.

There was no broken glass, so I assumed the cars hadn't been stolen. (Not to mention, who can steal 6 cars in an hour and a half? We aren't in the movie "Gone in 60 Seconds.") I started looking around for towing signs and unfortunately found one. We had been towed by some seedy private company from the parking lot of a restaurant that WASN'T EVEN OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Adding insult to injury, a guy who had been talking on the phone in the parking lot came over and said, "Yall's car get towed?" We said, "Yes." He said, "Aww, man! That's awful. Yeah, I saw that guy just going back and forth and getting all those cars one at a time."

Hey, man--thanks for the warning.

We called the towing company and the lady told me that for the mere price of $221.63, I could purchase back my own car for use. They could accept cash or debit card payment.

Problem #2 (#1 is the fact that the car is no longer in our possession)--we don't carry around $225 in our pockets, and we don't use debit cards.

Since we were only about a mile from home, we decided to walk (since I wasn't about to call a cab and add more money to this fiasco). As we walked home, with me in my cute cotton dress and strappy wedge sandals, Jeffrey called the automated banking number to try and activate our debit card.

Problem #3--They can't activate a PIN number using the automated system.

We figured we would just go home and look up the directions to the impound lot and get our PIN from the online services at our bank's website.

Problem #4--Of all times, our bank chose this night to do "routine maintenance" on their entire website. No access to funds, no access to PIN numbers, no access to anything. Thank you Chase Bank.

We ended up getting a ride from our friend Justin to the impound lot of questionable licensing where the lady told me I could check my car for any scratches, dents, or other injuries before signing away my rights to complain.

Problem #5--It was 2:30 am by that point, and there was one motion light present to "illuminate" the entire lot. Not adequate, tow truck company.

Jordan used his debit card to pay for our towing fee and his own, and we gave him a personal check to pay him back. Regardless, I think he will probably be getting a call about his "unusual activity" on his card...he doesn't often spend $500 in the wee hours of the morning.

We got home around 3 am, $225 dollars poorer, 100% angrier, and 50000% more likely to look for "no parking" signs when we park next time.

In closing, I have a few comments for those parties involved in our little situation.

To the rude wrecking company: If you worked for the city, and if we had parked in a fire lane, we would feel badly for parking in the wrong place; since you just go around patrolling for poor, unsuspecting people and ruin their nights, we don't like you. And you need more lights.

To the restaurant that does not allow parking even when they are closed: It's just selfish to hog your parking lot like that. It's not nice to be selfish. It will not make you friends. Shame on you.

To the guy who stood and watched 6 cars be towed away and didn't say a word: You have GOT to be kidding me. One word for you, my friend: Karma.