I have been to the ocean twice in the past week. I was reminded of summers past where I spent each weekend at the beach--with a different friend or group of friends each time. However, the summer of 1996 found Lydia and I at the beach each weekend together. We were inseperable that summer. We drove eachother to work, picked eachother up, shoot, even spent the day at eachother's work so we didn't have to part ways! We had some wonderful, and some interesting adventures together. Our weekend trips to the beach were no different.
The summer of '96 was the first summer I had my license; the first summer I was allowed at the beach by myself; the first summer I was allowed to drive to the beach. It was also the first summer I had to parallel park on the boardwalk. Lydia and I drove to the Rehoboth Boardwalk to avoid the crowds in Ocean City. We found a wonderful parking spot, right off the main drag. However, I was faced with a simple predicament--I had to parallel park. I hadn't done that since my drivers' license test, and then I only passed out of sheer luck. I was sure of it.
Anyway, I had to parallel park my Dodge Shadow between a minivan full of people and a tiny sports car. I was so worried that I'd hit the sports car that I wasn't paying much attention to the minivan, in fact I didn't even realize people were in it. I didn't realize....until...I tried to park over 15 times. In and out, in and out. Different approaches, different speeds, different angles. Nothing was working, and I mean nothing. I was so frustrated, and apparently the man in the minivan was as well. Perhaps he feared for the safety of his children and his minivan.
I saw him get out of his car and approach my window. He politely stated that he was afraid I was going to hit his car, and could he please parallel park for me. Being incredibly embarrassed, I exited my car (as did Lydia). I walked onto the sidewalk and almost missed what transpired before my eyes. The man pulled into the spot like an old pro. One shot, one angle, one approach. He nailed it. I was humiliated, but at least we had the wonderful parking spot just off the Rehoboth Boardwalk.
More beach stories to follow.
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5 comments:
Looking forward to your beach stories, you got a lot of them!
Oh Danielle, you just reminded me of our "hair raising" beach story...watch for it! And I most certainly will NOT change the names to protect the innocent. Shoot, guess that means I"ll have to include myself in that story!
Oh yeah. Gotta love turning orange.
Was this guy also an angel? He at least got his parking angles right. :)-
I have a high school beach story but I'm not sure I should make it public. Ask me at the brunch. But if I tell you, I'll have to shoot you.
Lib,
You're not the only one who can't parallel park; talk to Kate Britton. She has a similar story, but her's was with a sweet? old man and the farmer's market right here in Bel Air.
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