Life is odd and wonderful

Last week on my way to work I was driving my usual route when I got that undeniable feeling that comes over me when everything is just right for a picture. I’d spotted some new graffiti—but not only that, there was a classic car parked in front of it! I wanted desperately to stop, but I was late for work and there just wasn’t time.  I’ve been tortured all week about that missed shot! I’ve been very busy, so I haven’t been able to go back during daylight hours, plus I figured, the odds were good that the car didn’t even live there, or it wouldn’t be as great as I thought, or I wouldn’t be able to get a good angle on it… I’m a pessimist when it comes to this kind of thing. It works for me.

Note the missing classic car

This afternoon I headed out in search of this elusive (in my mind) scene.  When I arrived my heart sank because yes, the graffiti is interesting, but no car. OK, I thought, it’s still interesting, and I’m determined to get at least one good shot today.  So I turned the car around to park it and had to dodge a huge truck as it backed into the neighbor’s driveway–and another truck as it…well, it was in my way. I walked on the sidewalk until I reached the neighbor’s house, at which point I had to walk in the busy street because that second truck was now parked on the sidewalk. I cursed a bit inside. All this, for a second rate shot. Did I mention it was pouring down rain? OK, not pouring, but it was raining and my hands were cold. I get to the wall and start taking pics and my phone starts that thing where it takes forever for the shutter to close. I crossed my fingers that it would take usable pics and kept clicking, verrrry patiently now.

The construction workers next door poke at each other and point at me as I crouch and move around in the rain to get different angles of…  a wall. I nod, smile, and carry on.  After I’d taken plenty of pics, and with my fingers starting to numb, I headed back into the busy street toward my car. Back on the sidewalk a car pulls out of a driveway and almost takes out my knees. I laugh to myself about all the mishaps in this single half block.

A few moments later, from the relative safety of my car, I’m startled to see that the truck that was on the sidewalk is gone.  Big trucks don’t move that fast—at least they sure don’t when they’re in your way! Honestly I can’t recall now why I turned down the arterial in the direction away from home, but I did, and would you believe that the classic car was there?! Holy smokes! I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone (or some other more recent program that more of you can relate to).

There was a young man hiking up the stairs with at least three plastic bags of groceries in each hand, with that gorgeous car just below him. I turned around and parked where I’d been. I walked without obstruction to the scene and happily snapped the pics I’d been craving. Steam came off the hood of the car making me feel like it was put there just to create further evidence that I am one lucky gal. If I was a religious person, I’d think God was having some fun with me, but I’m not, so I simply think, “gawd, life is odd and wonderful”.  The steam doesn’t show in the pics, so you’ll just have to believe me.