gyzym: (Default)
[personal profile] gyzym
Right, so, in order for me to tell you this story, there are three things you need to know about me.

1) I wear sunglasses constantly, large ones that cover the top of my face. Jackie-O sunglasses, if you will. The size of them is half a fashion choice and half because I'm prone to migraines that are triggered by side-light exposure; the fact that I wear them constantly is a tic I inherited from my father. It does not have to be sunny for me to be wearing sunglasses. It doesn't even have to be threatening sunshine. Sun does not factor in the equation at all. As a general rule, I am in sunglasses if (a) I am outdoors and (b) it is day. I CAN'T HELP IT, GUYS. I NEED THEM TO LIVE.

2) The house that I live in at the moment has a number of fabulous amenities, but the driveway is not one of them. It is long. It is thin. It is raised about an inch off the beds of soft grass that surround it. This would be entirely acceptable if I lived somewhere like Arizona, or Florida, or even Kentucky--warm or warmish places, places where the sky does not open up and spit down ridiculous amounts of snow every two days or so. In Cleveland, where the average yearly snowfall is FIFTY SIX INCHES, this driveway is not acceptable. It is, in fact, unacceptable. Whoever made the executive decision to build it in this way should, in my humble and admittedly biased opinion, be taken out back and shot.

3) I am sure, somewhere out there in the wide wide world, there are women who weep daintily into their handkerchiefs at entirely appropriate moments, retaining both their dignity and class while doing so. I am equally sure that there are women who, while they might not be dainty about it, cry only when acceptable circumstance demands it--when they are sad, for example, or perhaps deeply and unutterably horrified. I, because I've never found a convention I couldn't merrily if accidentally flout, cry only in one circumstance: when I am hideously, furiously, stab-someone-in-the-face pissed off.

SO, NOW THAT YOU KNOW THESE THINGS ABOUT ME, ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY AFTERNOON.

I made the cardinal error of deciding to leave my home--I know, I know, what was I thinking, how dare I tempt the universe in such a way, I'M SO TERRIBLE--to run a quick errand. I pulled on my boots and my jacket and my little scarf, I slid my trusty sunglasses onto my face (state of sunshine: non-existent), and I went out to my car.

Me: Okay, car, hello, lovely to see you, let's just back down the driveway nice and easy to get to the road, yes?
Car: WHERE WE'RE GOING, WE DON'T NEED ROADS.
Me: But we're going to...the gas station...
Car: NO, WE'RE GOING TO THE EDGE OF THE DRIVEWAY AND SLIDING INTO THE SNOW.
Me: I'm sorry, car, but *I* am in control of the vehicle, so I think that in fact we are going to just back down nice and easy and...slip on the ice and...GODDAMN IT CAR I HATE WHEN YOU ARE RIGHT.
Car: Well, maybe next time you should appreciate my Back to the Future references, I am just saying.

At this point I decided that my car was not worth listening to, and began the process of trying to rock it back and forth out of the snowbank. Which, generally, works. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE SNOW, because I've been driving for five years and living in Cleveland for most of that. I am, by and large, pretty skilled as a snow driver.

However, some days are just motherfuckers.

Me: C'mon, baby, please, please, please, please--
Car: What is this, one of your ridiculous fanfictions? TALKING DIRTY TO ME WILL GET YOU NOWHERE.
Me: It's been half a fucking hour, there's only so long I can fucking do this--
Car: That's what your mother said last night!
Me: FUCK YOU YOU MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF FILTHY FUCKING SHIT FUCK YOU AND FUCK THE FACTORY YOU WERE BUILT IN AND FUCK EVERY ROAD YOU'VE EVER DRIVEN ON AND EVERY TIRE YOU'VE EVER TOUCHED YOU EVIL GUS-GUZZLING MOTHERFUCKING WHORE.

Please note, while most of this dialogue between me and my car has been fabricated for obvious reasons (this just in: cars don't talk), that last thing actually came out of my mouth. At a volume decidedly higher than was acceptable. Additionally, by this point I was so angry that I had, in fact, started crying, which only exacerbated my rage, and as such only increased my volume, and as I was screaming and revving the engine uselessly and pounding on the steering wheel like a crazy person...

...a kind stranger willing to help me out knocked on my window.

NOW, LIVEJOURNAL, UPSETTINGLY ENOUGH, THIS IS NOT THE MOST EMBARRASSING THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME IN MY DRIVEWAY. That award still goes to the time my neighbor caught me outside at 3 in the afternoon on a Sunday, wearing a robe and tie-dye pants tucked into white Ugg boots, smoking a cigarette and drinking cranberry juice out of a wine glass because the dishwasher contained all my other drinkware. In an attempt to assure her that I was not so much of a lush as I seemed, I hastily said "Oh, no, it's totally okay, this was just the biggest cup I could find!" This...did not endear her to my cause.

However, despite it being only the second-most embarrassing thing to ever have occurred in my driveway, it was still HIDEOUSLY OH MY GOD WHAT THE FUCK MORTIFYING. By all right this guy should have taken one look at me, said "EGADS, WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT, WITH HER PUFFY FACE AND HER INAPPROPRIATE-FOR-THE-WEATHER GIANT SUNGLASSES AND HER FOULLY SHRIEKING MOUTH," and headed directly for the hills. But this stranger--who didn't give me his name, just flitted in and out of my day to assist me and was gone before I could thank him--this stranger did not do that. Instead he spent fifteen minutes of his time pushing my car out of the rut and setting me free.

SO, today's tales of my tragically ridiculous life are brought to you by the letter A, the number 2, and the concept of paying it forward. BE KIND UNTO STRANGERS, GUYS, EVEN CRAZY ONES. Because sometimes, sometimes, crazy people are just girls like me, who can't help that their car is a gas-guzzling whore.

Or, if you're not willing to do that, then at very least consider looking into upgrading your plow service.

Date: 2011-01-23 06:11 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] onthecount.livejournal.com
There is no need to feel embarrassed! Road rage can happen anywhere. I've actually decided that my car is a Decepticon who hates me for naming it after bananas and for pretending it's a race car instead of an aging and delicate Mazda. NGL, if that had happened to me, I would turn it into fanfic.

Date: 2011-01-23 06:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] theprophetrass.livejournal.com
Yeah... I'm pretty sure that my neighbors think I'm an alcoholic flasher or internet porn star or something with all the times that I've smoked on my porch in the afternoon in nothing but a bathrobe and sometimes with a beer.

Nothings showing but my lush legs and some wrist people get over yourselves, I have the right to sit around and do nothing all day long without pants on.

Tomorrow I will be extra nice to all of the stressed out parents in Pediatrics in hopes that it helps their days slightly (I actually work there, not just gonna go stalk hospital).

Ok, half awake ramble done, sleep time.

Date: 2011-01-23 06:55 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] futureperfect.livejournal.com
I have so many stories of the kindness of strangers with related to car related mishaps. My first car was one that would tend to stall whenever you pulled up to intersections, traffic lights, roundabouts. And then it would have to sit for 10-20 minutes before it would even consider going again. ♥

Date: 2011-01-23 06:57 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kelspots.livejournal.com
Northern Ohio is absolutely not a place that one should live in the winter. I haven't actually been out of my house for several days, and I'm not sure my car will even start at this point, just out of spite for me leaving it out in the snow.

Date: 2011-01-23 06:57 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] end1essly.livejournal.com
I know that I'm pretty silent usually ('cuz i'm shyyyyyyyy :3) but this was possibly the most hilarious thing i've ever read. win ♥

Date: 2011-01-23 07:02 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] weatherfront.livejournal.com
ALL THE COOL WOMEN I HAVE KNOWN IN MY LIFE* HAVE CRIED FIRST AND FOREMOST OUT OF RAGE although, it is true, they were not usually wearing giant sunglasses and hurling expletives at their car at the same time-- actually though Jizzy, wasn't it probably better that you were wearing sunglasses while weeping, even though Kind Stranger probably did wonder at their presence...

*I am not actually sure whom I am thinking of

Date: 2011-01-23 09:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] angelgazing.livejournal.com
Ahahahahahahaahaha OH, OH, BB. ILU.

*pets*

I, also, am a rage crier. As with many, many, many other things in my life, I blame my mother for this, since it's clearly a habit that I come by naturally.

Date: 2011-01-23 02:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] postcardmystery.livejournal.com
My mother, (who, to put this in context, is four foot nine, albeit four foot nine of occasionally shrieking, intense insanity), once pretty much threatened to fight a man who stole her parking space. Like, we're talking "killed a man to watch him die" shit, here, screaming obscenities, the whole shebang. (They had been waiting, like, forty minutes in an endless hell of cars, I feel I should point this out. My mother is not actually a serial killer.)

My sister, who was riding shotgun, was busy trying to convince her that this ADULT MAN TWICE THE SIZE OF MY MOTHER was probably going to be the one doing the killing, when the other car drove away without warning. My mother was all, "I AM VICTORIOUS, THERE WILL BE NO KILLING TODAY, HE WAS SCARED OF ME!!1!!1". My sister was all, "No."

My sister was right.

They got out and discovered the car of the space-stealing-bastard had significantly damaged the car next to it, and driven away to let my mother take the blame.

SO AT LEAST YOU DIDN'T ACTUALLY THREATEN TO KILL SOMEONE, KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

(OH GOD SORRY I CAN'T EDIT POSTS.)

Date: 2011-01-23 02:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] postcardmystery.livejournal.com
Also, I totes cry out of rage too. I hate it, but what can you do?

Date: 2011-01-23 02:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] freaky-zero.livejournal.com
I love you. I don't know what else there is to say. ♥

Date: 2011-01-23 03:35 pm (UTC)
ext_310128: Sexual Deviant (Default)
From: [identity profile] photoclerk.livejournal.com
I'm always kind to strangers if they don't look like serial killers...
I <3 your stories Jizzy. They're good stories.

Date: 2011-01-23 04:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elainasaunt.livejournal.com
Oh, god, you're funny. Also, what great tags. Also, Rage Criers of the World, Unite.

Date: 2011-01-23 05:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elainasaunt.livejournal.com
Oh, also, I just took your user name in vain in a side note to a rec on my LJ. So you know.

Date: 2011-01-23 06:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] foxxcub.livejournal.com
BB, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. Do not be embarrassed, just feel lucky that this kind stranger decided to tune out the crazy and help a girl out.

Date: 2011-01-23 06:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] creme-bun.livejournal.com
We don't know each other. I was just scrolling by but..........BAHAHAHA!!!

We (New Hampshire) have three feet of snow on the ground with another two feet on the way. I understand your misery. *pets*

Date: 2011-01-23 06:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] omgkris10rocks.livejournal.com
Oh goodness this is full of awesome. Thank you for sharing.

Date: 2011-01-23 07:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] samsamtastic.livejournal.com
My feet and I have similar conversations when they seem to find the ONE patch of ice on my route to class that hasn't been salted away. I don't get nice neighbors helping me out, just strange looks from the other students here. WAIT I DRINK KOOLAID FROM WINE GLASSES, ARE YOU SAYING THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK THIS IS NOT ~ACCEPTABLE?

Date: 2011-01-23 09:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] beachlass.livejournal.com
Oh, preach it Sister! The kindness of strangers who don't even laugh at us getting stuck in our own driveways. I have been there.

I had a whole conversation with my car this morning (Christ, it was cold) about how we were late for church, and didn't have time to shovel out the snowplow drift at the end of the drive and were just going to power through it, okay?

Date: 2011-01-23 09:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jibrailis.livejournal.com
omg, well, I mean the story is hilarious but now I am deeper instilled with my fear of cars. *_____*

Date: 2011-01-23 09:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] flyingichthyo.livejournal.com
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, oh, my goodness. You poor thing. ::cuddles::

Date: 2011-01-23 11:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dakunut.livejournal.com
Your life isn't real.

Date: 2011-01-24 02:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] secretsolitaire.livejournal.com
Really, who hasn't screamed obscenities at one's car like that? ;-D

Date: 2011-01-24 03:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tropes.livejournal.com
Oh girlfriend. I feel in my heart that we are somehow kindred spirits. <3

Also: I am in Detroit, so I feel your pain re: snow. Very much.

Date: 2011-02-10 11:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] redhairedflame.livejournal.com
I was flying by for some fanfiction, but I had to tell you - this is the most hilarious thing I've ever read :D Luckily there are nice people nearby though or you'd have broken the steering wheel lol.

Also, cranberry juice in a wineglass? Never not appropriate.

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