CRAZY Adventure in Vancouver

Wow. Sit down please. Grab something to eat and drink and make sure you have used the bathroom. This will be a long one. It may take me all day to write, I have many things to attend to, so will add to this as I get the chance. Hopefully it will all make sense and not be too boring or jump around too much.

So yesterday I was going to Vancouver to pick up from friend C, right?? She was supposed to come back with us when we drove back from the holidays at my parents' in S'toon. She was sick, hubby and B chose to pack BOTH of their HUGE hockey bags and then not ONCE use them or any of their equipment like I KNEW would happen and told and told them please don't bother bringing them. Some of my brothers even spoke to hubby earlier and said there is no point, don't bother. They all played hockey together etc and my brothers do not use equipment for a friendly game, they wondered why hubby would bring it all the way for no reason.

Well I wondered too, but he did. Whatever. So C did not really have all that much room in the van anyway, she was sick, yadda yadda, we left her there and got ourselves settled here. Waited for her to feel better, etc. I went to get her yesterday.

Hubby picked me up a treat from Starbucks and then took B and R to our friend V's house. She was going to have them for the day, they have 2 boys almost the exact same ages and the 4 of them get along great. R packed up all the small seeds, sticks and acorns that he and D (V's son that is his age) have been collecting to use as grenades, and various other weapons. They have a blast outside together, was SO CUTE to see him excitedly packing all this up. I had watched V's boys the previous day for about 5 hours and the kids could not believe that they got TWO DAYS IN A ROW together?? LOL

So L was going to stay with Bee, just for a bit while hubby ran to the office for a meeting and then came back to work from home. I left and was on my way, nice peaceful drive, although I had to stop twice to pee. That Venti drink went through faster than usual! LOL Went through customs just fine. The woman even said "Good Day" to me, like Bob and Doug McKenzie always did. She didn't add the "Eh" though.

I was looking for a parking spot at the airport. There was NOTHING but ONE wheelchair accessible one. I drove around 2 or 3 times and then realized I NEEDED that one, since she would be in a wheelchair. I was worried I would get a ticket, so I went right away to ask someone about it.

I am still in shock about how CLUELESS people can be. This is how the conversation went with the first person I went to ask if there was anything they could do or if they could direct me toward the person I needed to talk to.

Me: "I am picking up a friend who will be in a wheelchair so I parked in a wheelchair spot. I don't have anything on my car that shows I can legally do that, so I was wondering if there is something someone can give me that I can run and put in the windshield or something so I don't get a ticket for parking there. Her plane is landing soon, so I need to hurry."

Person: "What??"

I explained AGAIN and they said to talk to a commisionaire, outside directing traffic.

So fine, I went outside and looked for one and only found a shuttle bus directing dude. Sweet older gent, explained it again and he said he had no idea, go to the information desk and ask them. I said something about this can't be the only time something like this has happened, they must have some policy of what they do. He said you would think so, but this was the first time HE had heard of a situation like this. Told me to go to the 3rd floor.

So I went up there and could not find the information desk anywhere. This was the departures level and everyone was just getting checked in and going through security etc. I looked pretty helpless I guess, cause this woman who worked there walked up and asked if I needed help.

I went through my spiel again and she pointed to my parking ticket stub sticking out of the book I was carrying ("Memoirs of a Geisha" VERY good so far!) and said "You HAVE a ticket."

I was speechless. I did not know what to say. So I said what any sane (I think) person WOULD say.

"This is the ticket I got to park here and when I leave, I will pay for the parking. I DO NOT want a parking ticket in the sense of NEGATIVE. Like pay a fee for parking in the wrong spot."


She looked lost and I admit to hesitating and questioning myself (I am SO BAD for that)for a split second, wondering if perhaps I was somehow speaking in tongues and that was why no one understood me, or what was going on. She pointed to a small sign with a question mark on it and told me to go ask over there. Turns out this was the information desk I had been seeking. Right in the obvious spot. Tucked far back, totally out of the way, near service elevators and restaurants.

I went there and explained again. SHE saw my ticket stub and mentioned I already had a ticket. I almost screamed at her "WHY DOESN'T ANYONE UNDERSTAND MY SIMPLE QUESTION???? I JUST WANT TO AVOID GETTING FINED FOR PARKING IN THE WRONG SPOT!!!!!!!!!!!"

However, I remained calm and thanked God that my kids are not as clueless as sometimes think they are. I vowed to hug them when I got home and tell them how proud I was that they were not going to grow up to be as clueless as these freaks:) LOL

She told me I must find a commisionaire. I said there are none to be found. I had alrady gone to all three levels (forgot to mention this) and I CANNOT find one. She said "The guys in the orange vests, who blow whistles and direct traffic???" I assured her that yes indeed, I had heard they exist, but was unable to locate one. I asked her if she could perhaps call someone, ask them the simple question and give me an answer because frankly, I was tired to trooping back and forth and hither and yon and I needed to pick up my friend.

She said no, try to find a commisionaire.

*sigh*

So I talked to a few other people, got the same remark about my ticket, saw some orange vests, but it was obvious they were not the ones I sought. I decided to go BACK outside and see if I could find one on each level. By now I was sweating, so was carrying my coat over my arm and slumped into an elevator. The man in there asked me what floor. I told him it didn't matter, I don't care any more, just press something. Then I smiled, did not want to seem rude. He had done nothing to me.

He asked if I needed help. I explained AGAIN what was happening. He glanced at my ticket stub sticking out of the book and - you guessed it - told me I already had a ticket!?!?

He was a sweet guy. Huge dark eyes, I knew he had a kind heart and soul. And those are the only things that saved him from my wrath.

I said nothing. Just gave him a blank stare with my jaw dropped. What else was I to do at this point?? We stared at each other for about 30 seconds and then I think he got nervous:) LOL He said he would help my find a commsionaire. It was only then that I saw he had a badge and somehow was employed there. GLORY BE!!! Now, we may bet getting somewhere!!!

We went outside on one level and saw a Shuttle Bus driver walking toward us. This man with me addressed the driver as "Bill" and motioned to me to explain my situation. I took a deep breathe and AGAIN let out my short, simple predicament. I was so frustrated, at the end, I just whined something along the lines of "I am just trying to avoid paying a fine for parking in the wrong spot. I really need to go meet my friends plane."

This man thought the solution was to go get my car and park it right there in the shuttle bus pick up lane and then go get her!?!?!? I was just stumped at how useless everyone was!?!?

So suddenly, what does "dark eyes who avoided my wrath" do?? He says "Listen, this is no problem. I will call Nancy and just tell her. What level are you on?? I will tell her about it and make sure you don't get a ticket."

WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!?!?!?

AND...

WHY do you SUDDENLY seem to comprehend what I was saying all along!?!?!?

Fine. Thanks. Thanked them both for their help. There was THIRTY minutes of stress that could have been avoided.

I go to where I think they will bring C...I need to help her, will post this now. To be continued...