![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I Win Again!
So what is it about mornings that make me feel like helping people out of a bind? I know I'm not this proactive in the afternoons or evenings, when the sun is out. It must have something to do with a lack of sleep that leads to a general sense of "do goodness."
Rush hour again. Stranded car on the side of the freeway, right before a large bridge, so they're on what could barely be considered the shoulder of the road. I see them up ahead, and note that they have out of state plates. Living in Buffalo, near Niagara Falls I have an inkling of what's going on, and normally I'd just drive by with a slight chuckle. This morning, I must have been tired, I stopped.
Right after I stopped I realized that I would have to contend with the thousands of rushing cars going inches away from my driver side door. Stopping was a nice act, but one that put me in deadly danger. Timing it well so as to just barely manage getting out of the way of being smooshed by a giagantic tractor trailer, I threw open my door, used it as a spring board to jump to the front of my car, and slid down dramatically, landing on my feet in a Jackie Chan-esqu manner. Either that, or I slammed it shut behind me and ran like a scared little girl but the truth is less fun.
I saw the map as I got closer, and knew that I was right. Must be some kind of psychic sense I'm having in the morning. "Could you tell us how to get to Niagara Falls" asked the passenger as the driver spoke up "We're fine, thanks, we can read the map." I quirked an eyebrow, sat on the side railing of the road that stood over a 20 foot embankment and asked whether or not they needed my help.
"Yes."
"No."
Came the reply.
I appreciated that they could clear it up so well for me. The passenger leaned out of the open window and whispered sotto voce, "She's embarassed that we're lost. See, we came all the way by car from California, and this is the first time we aren't sure where we are." We shared a knowing grin as though to say "We've all been there" and I pointed them on their way. They both thanked me, the driver looked relieved, and finding the perfect opening in traffic, they bound away.
Leaving me to find a way to get back in my car.
I won't recount the epic struggle that occured between me and the traffic both in getting into my car, and then finding a way to accellerate to 60 before getting mangled by yet another high-speed tractor trailer, but suffice it to say, I won.*
I hate mornings.
*+50 xp for the traffic dodging, +25 for helping fellow humans find their way, -10 for possibly giving wrong directions.
Rush hour again. Stranded car on the side of the freeway, right before a large bridge, so they're on what could barely be considered the shoulder of the road. I see them up ahead, and note that they have out of state plates. Living in Buffalo, near Niagara Falls I have an inkling of what's going on, and normally I'd just drive by with a slight chuckle. This morning, I must have been tired, I stopped.
Right after I stopped I realized that I would have to contend with the thousands of rushing cars going inches away from my driver side door. Stopping was a nice act, but one that put me in deadly danger. Timing it well so as to just barely manage getting out of the way of being smooshed by a giagantic tractor trailer, I threw open my door, used it as a spring board to jump to the front of my car, and slid down dramatically, landing on my feet in a Jackie Chan-esqu manner. Either that, or I slammed it shut behind me and ran like a scared little girl but the truth is less fun.
I saw the map as I got closer, and knew that I was right. Must be some kind of psychic sense I'm having in the morning. "Could you tell us how to get to Niagara Falls" asked the passenger as the driver spoke up "We're fine, thanks, we can read the map." I quirked an eyebrow, sat on the side railing of the road that stood over a 20 foot embankment and asked whether or not they needed my help.
"Yes."
"No."
Came the reply.
I appreciated that they could clear it up so well for me. The passenger leaned out of the open window and whispered sotto voce, "She's embarassed that we're lost. See, we came all the way by car from California, and this is the first time we aren't sure where we are." We shared a knowing grin as though to say "We've all been there" and I pointed them on their way. They both thanked me, the driver looked relieved, and finding the perfect opening in traffic, they bound away.
Leaving me to find a way to get back in my car.
I won't recount the epic struggle that occured between me and the traffic both in getting into my car, and then finding a way to accellerate to 60 before getting mangled by yet another high-speed tractor trailer, but suffice it to say, I won.*
I hate mornings.
*+50 xp for the traffic dodging, +25 for helping fellow humans find their way, -10 for possibly giving wrong directions.
no subject
:D
no subject
I'm working on it, but it's a slow road to get to level two when you don't have any goblins or kobolds to punt around for a while.
no subject
(Anonymous) 2006-06-14 05:31 pm (UTC)(link)And that's having probably LOST experience over the last few years...
Still, I'd prefer to be a psionicist or sorcerer, but hey, I'll take what I can get I guess...
-tt
no subject
Maybe a bit of rogue too, as I'm pretty good at picking locks and have been known to do so with my mini-leatherman and a paperclip on numerous occasions.
no subject
See below for my response to TT for what I believe I am.
no subject
I'm also pretty fast at unlocking vehicle doors if given a slim jim. When I worked security for the college campus you wouldn't believe how many people would end up with their keys locked in their vehicles (or their battery dead, and the one day I wasn't watching and zapped myself with the recharger and not the car battery but that's another story for another day). I'd typically have to, "open" at least one car/truck every other day. I worked there for about two years (if memory serves right). Because of this I got very fast at unlocking vehicles. I could even bypass most, "anti-theft" vehicles too. Some students were impressed, others were concerned. ;)
no subject
Add to that the fact that I've sunk as many skill points as possible into "Profession: Typist" and used a feat slot for "Skill Proficiency: Profession: Typist" and you'll see why I'm still a little off my game.
no subject
Just sayin. :)
no subject
Damn it.
You know, at no point did that occur to me, at all. *sigh*
no subject
(Anonymous) 2006-06-15 03:27 pm (UTC)(link)That was actually my first thought too... but that could possibly be because my driver side door lock was broken (still is, but now it's unlocked)... I HAD to get in and out of the passenger side!
I should get that fixed...
-tt
no subject
I'm very tempted to think that I was parked too close to the guard rail to open the passenger door, but it doesn't matter - it never even crossed my mind.
no subject
But seriously, if I stop to help people I always make sure, at the very least, I can get in and out via my passenger side. I also make sure that my vehicle is positioned in such a way as to block anyone attempting to come too close. Much like how the cops park. I've got full coverage on my truck, and I can replace it a great deal easier than I can get a new body. ;)
If there was a guard rail couldn't you have pulled off to the side where there wasn't one? Or is it one of those, "big" city things where there's like 2+ miles of guard rails?
no subject
As for the guard rail, it's everywhere out here. Hell, they've got it going up my street here in the suburbs to make sure wildy-careening cars don't hit the children quietly playing hop-scotch in the shade while the adults look on, sipping lemonade.
no subject