When you move to DC, your car insurance goes up.
And for good reason. I've had a lot of bad stuff happen to my car. Being sideswiped while parked is the least of it.
My hood got all dented in what we had to assume was the process of someone standing on it. In order to smash my windshield. Just for fun.
The best, though, was when my entire wheel got stolen. They left it jacked up, with just the little nup sticking out. They took the whole fucking wheel.
The policeman told me I was lucky. Lucky they didn't steal my entire car.
Huh.
So I thought about this last weekend.
After I left the car running on the street in front of our house.
Honest to god. I didn't even notice. I got a great parking spot, parked, and walked inside with the bags I was carrying.
It's not exactly as terrible as it sounds, in that a friend of ours was double parked just ahead of me, unloading furniture that didn't fit in my little Civic. So our front door was open, and Nick and others were in and out.
But still.
I'd have done it regardless, I am certain. Because my house keys and car keys are on separate rings.
Suddenly I realized I'd forgotten something in the car. And started looking for my keys.
Just after my search began, Nick started calling for me. "Lisa!"
I don't answer. I'm digging through my purse.
"Hey, Lis! Could you come here? Lis?"
And I was thinking, ohferfuckssake just give me a second. Seriously? What's so urgent?
"Lisa."
"Hold on."
"Honey."
"Goddammit! Hang on! I'm trying to find my fucking keys!"
"Odds are they're in your car. Which you left running."
Ah. Lucky.
At least they weren't in the refrigerator, specifically the crisper.
ReplyDeleteWhat?!?? It happens...
You are lucky! Hubby's done that before but he's LOCKED the door to the car and we went into the bar before he realized that he didn't have the keys....AND that he didn't turn off the car. Nice!
ReplyDeleteDagny - Hahahaha! Excellent.
ReplyDeleteJules - You just made me feel so much better. I have been all PREGNANCY BRAIN AAAGH! but am so happy to know that.
that's why i keep my car & house keys attached... if i'm in the car i know i couldn't have left my house keys inside and vice versa. it doesn't stop me from walking off and leaving my car door open or misplacing my keys within 15 seconds of entering the house.
ReplyDelete... and you are lucky, either that or you definitely upgraded neighborhoods with your move : )
Hey, at least you hadn't locked the door. (Like I did when I left my car running with the keys in it.) and NO I was not pregnant at the time. Just absentminded, as usual!
ReplyDeleteI can understand pregnancy brain. But The Dancer has to have extra keys stashed all over with her friends, etc. because she is notorious for locking her keys in the car. Thankfully, she's only done it a couple of times with the car still running.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely blame it on pregnancy brain.
ReplyDeleteI third or fourth the pregnancy brain assertion. I've done a lot of stupid stuff so far. This week's winner was that I put the laundry in the dryer but didn't actually start the dryer. Made for a soggy morning with me being forced to wear a pair of pants (one of only two that fit anymore!) that weren't completely dry.
ReplyDeleteWhen I moved from DC to Connecticut, my car insurance went up. And remained high when I moved to Philly. Insurance guy told me that DC has more highways, thus the "cheaper" amount. Blah.
ReplyDeleteHi, I just wanted to say that I stumbled across your blog and you are a great writer! You seem really authentic and have a great sense of humor. Thanks for giving me something funny and smart to pass the day at work!
ReplyDeleteOh Lisa....its pregnancy! When I was pregnant I tried to open my front door with my garage door opener. Stood there and kept pressing the freaking button until I realized what I was doing. Sadly, it took my a while to reazize why my door would not open!
ReplyDeleteOn another note..isn't it wonderful to live in a neighbourhood that you can leave you car running?
notsojenny - My fear with that is that I will leave the whole set in the house or the car. I think I am too twitchy to put them all together.
ReplyDeleteAnd the neighborhood is actually much like my old one...Nick's old hood in VA would be a much better place to leave a car running.
Cheryl S - I am veryvery glad I hadn't locked the door! Although come to think of it, I couldn't if the keys were in anyway.
Lisa - My car won't let you lock the driver door without a key or the opener thingy. And now I am so relieved it doesn't.
Wendy - I am, I am!
diatribes and dish - Ugh. Damp pants are the worst. I used to do that all the time even before the preg. It's just so much worse now.
Stacy - Oh, wow! That's horrible. I had no idea. Mine jumped from VA to DC. It's higher here than when I lived in CA as well, but I had such a horrible old car then that it's hard to compare.
Anonymous - Thank you! That is so nice to hear! I appreciate it.
Lori - I keep doing idiotic things, and I can't remember anything from one minute to the next. I can totally imagine trying to use the garage door opener (if we had one) and being confused.
And it's really not a neighborhood to leave anything unlocked, much less unlocked and running. It was just that our friend was out with his car and he and Nick kept going in and out carrying things, so they'd have seen anyone approaching the car.
I locked my only keys in the boot of my car once. Cant access the boot without the keys and there is no back seat to remove to access the boot from inside the car either. Joys of a two seater sports car I guess. Needless to say the roadside assistance guy was a cutie :-D
ReplyDeletehahahaha. I can just see your face, muttermuttergrumblegrumble...all, GD, what's so urgent!?!
ReplyDeleteI've "put" my keys in the fridge before, too!! haha. Like Dagny said, it happens! ;-)
I once left my car running... AFTER I GOT OUT AND LOCKED THE DOORS.
ReplyDeleteI am so win.