The $301 Play

Time: January 5, 2008

So, I've been in California for a couple of months now minus the two weeks I spent in Texas for the holidays. I'm still adjusting to the new way of life here -- the slower vibe, the bigger apartment, the LA acting scene, the traffic, et cetera et cetera. It's very different here and although there are several things I miss about New York, I'm enjoying the adventure and I definitely see myself staying here for a long, long, time. That said, I wanted to destroy something earlier today. Break, slam, kick, shatter, and utterly demolish something, to release my frustration. But, I didn't, I just cried a little and then laughed about the situation an hour later. Then I found something that made the situation even more unbelievable...

I'll stop being vague and get to the actual story.

I get an audition notice for a Arthur Miller play that I'm not familiar with. It's called "After the Fall" and I'm to read for the role of Felice. Felice means happy. Smile. Anyways, I have two choices: 1.) Just read my sides and be OK with the fact that I don't know the play or 2.) Buy the play and read it to get an idea of the tone of the play and of my character's role in the play.

I choose the latter. Besides, Samuel French isn't too far away. I mean, it isn't across the street like it was in NYC, but it's one of the few places I can get to without the help of my GPS enabled Blackberry. Having made my decision, I get to my car and notice it's sprinkling outside. Oh, you know that song "It Never Rains in Southern California?" It's a lie. Because it's been raining for a couple of days now and the weatherman says it will be raining on and off til Sunday. Anyways, for the time being it's not raining too much and I'll just be in and out so there's no need to bring an umbrella. A few raindrops never killed anybody.

Fast forward 20 minutes which equals about 4.5 miles without too much traffic. I've made it to Samuel French and I guess the Los Angelenos have decided to stay indoors because there are more empty parking spaces than usual. Yay. I don't want to get a ticket so I put a couple of dimes in the meter which buys me 20 minutes. That'll be plenty of time. I'll be in and out, and back in my warm, dry car before I know it.

Fast forward nine minutes. With play in hand, I happily leave the store. I'm really glad I decided to do this but now I'm ready to get out of this rainy weather, and curl up in my warm bed for a good read. Hmmm. Yes, that sounds nice. I just need to find my car and I'll be on my merry way.

It's just right across the street. Right. Umm... I'm bad with directions so maybe I went the wrong way out the store. Lemme look over here. No, I'm sure it was right there. I remember passing that ivy-covered building as I jaywalked, no jayran, across the street. It was definitely there but now, it's not!

Moments later, I find my parking place and proof that I had in fact parked my car at that very spot -- : 0 9. Nine minutes left on the meter, but no car... I'd been away from my car 11 minutes and in that short period of time, my little car had been taken against her will towards an evil towing lot, somewhere in Los Angeles County. I say "towards" because not enough time had elasped for the driver to make it to the lot. He was down the street.

To make a long story short, I'd unknowingly parked in an anti-gridlock zone and had to pay the towing "service" $140 to release my car. My tears had intermingled with the rain and I was left feeling frustrated, silly and $140 poorer. Woe is me! The things we do , the sacrifices we make, the...

Hold up. A plastic covered envelope underneath my wiper catches my eye...

Un-believable. Incroyable. Increíble. Inside the plastic is a ticket, written by a parking cop, for an additional $150 dollars!

Thus ends the unfortunate yet true tale of the $301 play.