Updates Part 1: The Yellow Form

Looks like it’s time for a blog update.  A lot of which is probably old news at this point, so skip the parts you’ve heard.

As the political and economic situations continue to keep everyone on edge, my car was basically totaled by a drunk driver - luckily it was parked at the time and I wasn’t in it- so I spent last week hitching a ride to work and cursing uninsured motorists while, like many other people, worrying about layoffs.  I declared FAIL when it comes to the St Louis City Water Division’s customer service.   At the My Bloody Valentine concert, I managed to gently set down a lot of the resulting angst while staring into blinding strobes and allowing the physical sensations of overwhelming noise course through my body for twenty straight minutes, which was a surprising short cut the sweet relief of meditation, who knew?  And in the good news column, we’re in the current issue of ReadyMade Magazine and I have some cool art stuff coming up to supplement my main distraction of late, putting out fires.  And Dave wins the Official Best Boyfriend Award this month for going out of his way to help with all the various whatevers related to the aforementioned events.  I learned to drive a stick and make something resembling yarn with a drop spindle.  Also, yellow forms are extremely important.  That’s really the short of it.  But to further elaborate…

My Car

A week ago Sunday I wrapped up the day early, made a somewhat involved dinner (grilled honey chicken with fennel over couscous with a medley of root vegetables, actually) and settled in for the night.  At about ten o’clock, we hear this explosive noise out front and of course, go racing for the door.  Dave asked rhetorically, “What was THAT?” and I answered, “Someone’s car,” sort of knowing somehow it was mine.  And sure enough, I open the door to see nothing but my car, which had previously been neatly parallel parked, angled out into the middle of my street, and some neighbors on the balcony across the street gesturing, “he’s down there.”  After, rather comically I imagine, running into the street, seeing the thoroughly smashed side of my vehicle, and loudly issuing an expletive, I look down the street and see break lights on the side of the next block.  At this point, all my neighbors are filtering into the street.  I head inside for my phone, and Dave and my neighbor Todd- both shoeless- start down the street to deal with that.

I stayed with my crippled vehicle waiting for the police and talking to my neighbors.  Apparently, the driver who hit my car broke his front axel, but was so intoxicated he didn’t realize it.  He tried to flee the scene on foot, but some of my neighbors chased him down.  He then tried to leave again, given that his front wheel was orientated sideways, he was… unsuccessful.  He also crawled under his vehicle in a vauge attempt to repair it.  Hopefully you’re getting a picture here.

Eventually, the driver was taken off to jail, no license, no insurance, and I drank half a bottle of wine, disconnected my car battery, and planned my strategy for getting to work. My insurance company has been great, they’re trying to contact the owner of the vehicle.  Conclusion: this is one of those “Sorry, you lose.  Please spin again.” sort of situations.  Fortunantly, it’s pretty much solved in the short term.  Anybody want to buy an undrivable vehicle?

Things I’ve learned:

Should you ever have a need to acquire a police report, you must show up at a particular office downtown, in person, sign a yellow form, and pay for it.  (People who are trying to get different forms to solve different problems get different colors, like blue or maybe green, so that all the kids can identify who’s sitting in the waiting area because they’re in trouble with the principal and who’s just here to see the nurse so they can go home already.)

Also, purchasing extra insurance, while not required, is apparently something one should do.  We all need more things to spend money on in case we find ourselves without the money to cover the expenses incrued during an unforeseen event because we’ve already used all of our money purchasing additional insurance.  Check.  But really, dear banking establishment, this was not the most optimal week to call me to discuss your desire for me to purchase identity theft insurance.  You and I both know that you’re just desperate for fee income, and frankly, if someone would like my identity, I truly wish them good luck with that.

And finally, my neighbors are awesome, and also my boyfriend and my co-worker, who helped me get to work last week.

Further Bureaucracy

What is going on with the St Louis Water folks?  Hands down, worst customer service ever.  Granted, it seems they only employ one poor woman who is probably harrassed to death, but really.  Hanging up on someone isn’t really an effective way to handle problems.

Apparently, a crew is currently at work in the area, hopefully dealing with the mysterious leak, but I have no idea what’s going on.  Don’t they have those door hangy things anymore?

More things I’ve learned:

Should your water be disconnected, it is amazingly complex to sort out the particulars, and, much like obtaining a police report, you must show up, in person, at a particular office, to sign a yellow form.  Of course, this, like all yellow forms, must be completed between the hours of 8AM and 5PM, when you’re probably obligated to be at work, trying not to get fired and to earn some money so that you can buy yourself some additional insurance.  I am not at all surprised that they’re having such trouble sorting things out on Capital Hill.  Obviously, someone didn’t show up at the designated office during the appointed hours to complete their paperwork.

Also, if you think of your life as a really long camping trip, brushing your teeth in a cup isn’t quite as distressing.

To be continued, on a brighter note, I promise…