Friday 3 June 2011

The Wrong Insomniac

It seems impossible that on Wednesday I felt better. Physically I did I suppose, Thursday, I was a wreck, emotionally. I suppose I hit a really big wave and succumbed.

And yet, although yesterday started early, it started well. One of the residents of our strata complex, let's call him Doris, has been illegally parking his taxi for...well, ever really. He has had warnings, he has been aggressive to his neighbours, he has had fines, which he doesn't pay, and the situation had to be dealt with. For two days running, Kevin, on the request of the Strata Council, had put a notice to tow on his car, then called the towing company.

Wednesday, whilst I was clearing the kitchen, I saw Doris driving his car out at 09.10. I saw the tow truck turn up at 09.25. The tow truck then had to leave because Doris's car wasn't there, it turned right, the driver waited for a couple of minutes, and then drove off. As soon as he or she drove off, Doris reappeared from the left, so clearly it was all a game of cat and mouse.

But Doris was playing his game with the wrong insomniac. At four on Thursday, Kevin was wide awake. He called the towing company. He waited for the towing company. He watched as they towed Doris's taxi away.
And then he came back to bed and dealt with his work e-mail, sending a message to his line manager, who was astonished later on, to have received an e-mail timestamped 04.30.
Still, if you are awake at 4 o'clock, you might as well make it count.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

how very very satisfying. I remember driving down Dollarton in North Van and his guy was tailing me and being impatient. I pulled over and he sped off, only to be immediately stopped by the police. this must be 15 years ago now but oh how I savour it.
- Karen

Schneewittchen said...

I had a similar thing on Friday. I was driving down River Road and this arsehole was just desperate to get past me even though I was going at the speed limit.
But I knew two things HE didn't. The lane to my right just disappeared not far ahead, and there was a City of Richmond works truck not too far ahead, that was stopping and picking up cones. The arse finally passed me, just as the lane ran out and he caught up with the works van. I so enjoyed imagining the steam coming out of his ears.