I was at home about noon when I heard a woman yelling for someone to get out of her car. Over and over.
"Crap," I thought. I once made a vow to always help women in abusive situations. I don't really want to, but a vow is a vow, ya know?
So I went out to the street in front of my house and talked to this couple who were drunk and having a fight in their car. I asked the woman if she needed help or wanted me to call the cops. The guy told me not to get involved. I ignored him and stayed until they drove off.
It was all inane and jumbled and stupid in an alcohol-fueled kind of way, and I am not sure I did any good, other than to let a woman know that when she yelled, someone was listening.
Yes, I know it was dangerous. But if I ever get killed by an enraged boyfriend, please have them put "At least she tried to help," on my headstone.
Then tonight my friend Alicia and I went to see the Gin Blossoms play a free concert in the park in Camarillo. It was super fun, a perfect summer night in the park kind of thing with tiny lights in the trees and lots of glow necklaces.
On the way to the show, we noticed a whole row of cars with parking tickets on them, with a cop busily writing even more tickets. There must have been 25 ticketed cars in a line, but there were no "No Parking" signs.
"We should ask the cops what is up," I said idly.
"You want me to?" Alicia asked.
"YEAH!" I said.
The cops told us that there was no parking there.
"Where are the signs?" we asked. They could not find any signs. We left them still buzzing around, trying to figure out what was going on.
When we came out, all the tickets were gone off those cars. Twenty-five families whose nights wouldn't be ruined by stupid parking tickets! Alicia and I high-fived each other.
"They'll never know," she said. But we did, and that was pretty damned cool.
*******
If any of The Rats are reading, how much does Jesse Valenzuela of the Gin Blossoms look like Joe DoHo?? I spent the whole concert thinking: Did Joe just not tell us he is also a rock star?
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9 comments:
Yay for Suebob!
Karma will come back and give you something great.
"...other than to let a woman know that when she yelled, someone was listening."
That is a very important thing, even if it didn't have an immediate impact.
who is that guy with a beard - he is no gin blossom!
You are a brave soul - I would have just called the cops, but then SHE would have been arrested for DUI, more than likely.
That is so cool you questioned the tickets, I honestly think they wait for big events like that so they can generate some revenue.
hey! gin blossoms are coming here next month for 20 bucks in GGP! should I drop the money to go?
PS thanks for the linkie love!!!! MWA! :)
Fog city - The show was great, but it was FREE and we were standing about 8 feet from the stage. I dunno if I would pay $20 to do less than that...hm.
First time reading your blog you remind me of the way one of my best friends describes me: she says I have a "playground sense of justice."
No picking on those smaller than you and fair is fair.
I would have probably just yelled at both of them - women in abusive relationships tend to make me more angry than sympathetic. I need to work on my compassion.
Also? I'm starting to hate cops. 25 tickets without even seeing a no parking sign? Grrrrr.
well, the show is in golden gate park. I suppose I could elbow my way to the stage. lord knows I can be very aggressive when need be! LOL!!!
PS I found the card you sent me with the pix with the stapler on my head from blogher 06. it's on my fridge. I smile whenever I see it!
Huh. I had no idea the Gin Blossoms were still together and playing concerts.
And how do people get drunk in the middle of the day? It amazes me. I was grocery shopping at 2pm on a Tuesday last week and saw no less than three drunk people at the grocery store.
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