Tow Woes
I hope the 12 Venezuelan pastors that arrived last night - and the three that are unable to be here - like the clerical shirts they'll be receiving as we love on them for the next three full days. My car almost got towed - twice! - in the process of buying them!
Friday afternoon, seminarian Elvis accompanied me to el centro, where there are three Catholic bookstores within a few blocks' radius, to purchase clerical shirts for all 15 pastors of the Iglesia Luterana de Venezuela (ILV). As usual, it was abuzz with people and cars, but I saw a spot near a NO PARKING sign and hesitantly heeded the guy who waved me enthusiastically into it. Tipping a local to guide you in and out of tight spaces and keep an eye on your vehicle is very common here, so after pointing to the sign and confirming that the spot was OK, we set off.
Store #1 didn't have what we needed, so we walked to store #2, another dead end. Leaving, we saw the parking guy running frantically toward us; we took off after him and arrived to see a tow truck in front of my car, poised and ready. I started the engine and backed up until I was fully behind the NO PARKING sign in question, which appeased the tow truck guy. Whew.
Off we went to store #3 for the win, walking out with all 15 shirts! However, we also wanted communion wafers - more ILV pastor care package fodder - for which we needed to return to store #1. In the midst of paying for the communion wafers, parking guy came running up a second time! I tossed Elvis the keys, hurriedly wrapped up the transaction, and then hustled to meet him...and a second tow truck with my car already loaded onto its flatbed! Parking guy argued with tow truck guy #2, insisting that tow truck guy #1 had said I was no longer parked illegally, to no avail. Parking guy reassured me that it was no big deal, I'd just have to go to city hall to pick it up, but I was irate.
I opened the Uber app to get us a ride to city hall while tow truck #2 pulled away and the argument dragged on. Before I could confirm the pick-up location, parking guy informed us that tow truck guy #2 had relented and decided to pull over and lower my car. WHEW! Watching this happen, it occurred to me that this would make a GREAT blog post, but standing on the curb on a busy street, distraught at the sight of my car's present state, wasn't an ideal time to whip out my iPhone. My apologies for the lack of photo evidence.
Who knew shopping for ecclesiastical wear would be so eventful? Elvis and I are in complete agreement that it was an experience we do NOT need to repeat!
Until next time, blessings!
Friday afternoon, seminarian Elvis accompanied me to el centro, where there are three Catholic bookstores within a few blocks' radius, to purchase clerical shirts for all 15 pastors of the Iglesia Luterana de Venezuela (ILV). As usual, it was abuzz with people and cars, but I saw a spot near a NO PARKING sign and hesitantly heeded the guy who waved me enthusiastically into it. Tipping a local to guide you in and out of tight spaces and keep an eye on your vehicle is very common here, so after pointing to the sign and confirming that the spot was OK, we set off.
Store #1 didn't have what we needed, so we walked to store #2, another dead end. Leaving, we saw the parking guy running frantically toward us; we took off after him and arrived to see a tow truck in front of my car, poised and ready. I started the engine and backed up until I was fully behind the NO PARKING sign in question, which appeased the tow truck guy. Whew.
Off we went to store #3 for the win, walking out with all 15 shirts! However, we also wanted communion wafers - more ILV pastor care package fodder - for which we needed to return to store #1. In the midst of paying for the communion wafers, parking guy came running up a second time! I tossed Elvis the keys, hurriedly wrapped up the transaction, and then hustled to meet him...and a second tow truck with my car already loaded onto its flatbed! Parking guy argued with tow truck guy #2, insisting that tow truck guy #1 had said I was no longer parked illegally, to no avail. Parking guy reassured me that it was no big deal, I'd just have to go to city hall to pick it up, but I was irate.
I opened the Uber app to get us a ride to city hall while tow truck #2 pulled away and the argument dragged on. Before I could confirm the pick-up location, parking guy informed us that tow truck guy #2 had relented and decided to pull over and lower my car. WHEW! Watching this happen, it occurred to me that this would make a GREAT blog post, but standing on the curb on a busy street, distraught at the sight of my car's present state, wasn't an ideal time to whip out my iPhone. My apologies for the lack of photo evidence.
Who knew shopping for ecclesiastical wear would be so eventful? Elvis and I are in complete agreement that it was an experience we do NOT need to repeat!
Until next time, blessings!
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