At first, I got lost. I kinda remembered the street name but I mean, seriously, I didn't believe it could really be that close to work so I was in the left lane when I should have been in the right lane, et al. Just to make sure, I went another 5 blocks until I decided I had indeed missed the street and doubled back.
And there it was. A parking spot. Right in front of the store. How is that even possible? Okay, I took it, thanked G-d and went straight into the store. Rows and rows of necklaces and earrings - it was paradise. Then I remembered I hadn't paid for parking and ran out. Having experienced downtown parking, I expected the meter to give me 3 minutes for 25 cents. Oh no - it gave me 15 minutes for 25 cents. I started to believe I was actually dead and this was heaven. I had change left over.
I spent the next 30 minutes looking for the right necklace(s) and came up with three and a pair of earrings. No point going crazy the first time out. Then the not so sweet cashier asked me for my resale number.
My what? I panicked. I gave her my friend's name and business. Nothing. I wanted to plead with her to let me have the stuff but no, dignity first, deals second. I called my friend, no answer. I left the store confused, and sure that I was still very much alive and well, sans amazing necklaces on the cheap.
Well, after my dear friends got wind of my experience and called the manager, it turns out I may not need a resale number after all. It appears the clerk was a jerk. So I ask myself: Why did this happen? What did I learn? To be patient, keep my cool, accept rejection and move on?
All that and the restoration of my belief in local government's ability to get things done. Despite the homeless crisis in downtown, on Crocker and 9th Street, downtown Los Angeles, parking is very affordable indeed!
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