November 22, 2006

• Today

  The car wouldn't start. At the gas station. Opened the back up, and fished the jumper cables out from underneath the pile of hockey equipment and jackets that we forgot we threw in the back when it got unexpectedly warm.

  I was planning on returning back into the gas station to ask if one of the clerks would be willing to give me a jump, when a guy pulls up beside me in his truck.
  "Do you need some help?" he says out his window,
  "Yeah, could you give me a jump?"
  The man agrees, pulls around to the front of my car, gets the jumper cables on both batteries (I desperately need a refresher course in how to properly jump a car, the last two times I've lucked out and had someone else hook up the cables.) A few minutes later, my car is running, the guy is handing my jumper cables back to me (neatly coiled, I might add) I thank him, and we are on our way.

  At the museum, after we have spent an afternoon looking at dinosaur bones, native american artifacts, and geological cross sections. Went to start the car... sigh, no juice. Back to the museum to call the public safety office (this was at the university) They ask me for my Bengal Card number...
  "My what number?"
  A sigh emanates from the other side of the phone,
  "Okay, um, what's your name?"
  I tell the nice lady.
  When's your birthdate?
  I tell the nice lady.
  "Alright, go stay by your vehicle, someone will be there in a few minutes."
  We all pile out, and get into the car.

  Pretty soon, the public safety officer comes pulling up beside us in his fancy SUV. I get out and pop the hood of the car. The officer goes around back with his nifty metal clipboard, and takes down my license plate number...uh, okay, just need a jump here, we really don't need to start an investigation...He hands the form to me,
  "Alright, I just need you to fill out this information for our records, and sign the damage to your vehicle waiver..."
  "Okay.." I say, and take the nifty little clipbaord to fill out my name, adress, birthdate, race...waitaminit..RACE? what the hell does that have to do with jump starting a car? I've already started this though, so I fill the rest out, and hand it to him after I've signed the "I won't sue you if you mess up my car in the process of trying to help me.." line.
  "Although I can't see what my importance my race is in getting my car jumped.." I say
  "Well" the public safety officer says, and a lightbulb goes on,
  "Probably more to protect you guys's ass than anything...."
  "And if we need a description..."

  UM...WHAT??!! I just need a jump for my car.
  At this point, I'm ready to tell him, look, forget it, this is way too much of a pain, I'll just wait for a random stranger to take pity on the girl holding the jumper cables..
  But I've already filled out the completely unnecessary paperwork, so I let him hook the cables up, and fairly soon I'm heading home.

  • 1:16 am
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