Thursday, October 13, 2011

Lost in the Lot

Please tell me you have done this.


You exit the store and look into the sea of cars and blank. WHERE DID I PARK?


It doesn't seem to matter whether or not you've been in the store for 10 minutes or 3 hours. It doesn't matter how close to the door you've parked or how many cars are in the lot when you arrive to or leave the lot. It doesn't matter if you memorize the fact that you've parked one stall away from the cart return. It doesn't matter that you've fooled yourself into believing that you will remember to turn left out of the store's exit door when your shopping is through.


There you are. Looking. Now trying to remember. Now walking because if you don't you'll be just standing there at the exit door. Looking. 


So you start. You choose a direction pretending you have the exact destination of your vehicle. Head off. Down to the left and slightly off to the right with just enough speed to make is seem believable. Out a ways about 5 or 6 cars because if you remember anything, it is that you were not really close to the building but not really far away either. You remember that it was just starting to sprinkle when you got out of the car and you thought, at the time, that taking your umbrella with you would be more hassle than it would be worth. You remember that it was a short jogging distance from your car to the entrance and you could handle that even though your knees were aching with arthritic pain. The incoming storm  mentioned on the radio distracted you a little but not too much. All these clues for sure will lead you to it.  


Nope not there. 


You cut across the sea of cars waving around the ones that were parked too close for comfort. And though your cart isn't as heavy as it can sometimes be, it's the one. The one with the bum wheel. The one that makes just enough noise to announce that you're near. The one cart in the whole store that has a piece of string wrapped around the back left wheel so that you are limited from turning the cart in a direction of your choosing but only if you can really put your weight into it. The one that calls your name and begs you to choose it as if it were a lame puppy dog looking for a new master. Yes, that cart.


Nope not there.


You double back. You notice a kindred spirit walking with her teenage son. Her head motion says that she is like you. Looking for her vehicle. But her eyes are trying not to give her bewilderment away- not in front of her teenager. If she makes one false move, a mistake of direction, a showing of her halfzheimers creeping up, her child will never let her live it down. He will call her out for what she is. A forgetful adult who escaped the then childhood embarrassment of being labeled with ADD. How is he to know that it's not her fault. She was never diagnosed. She was never medicated. She couldn't speak up for herself. She was a child. And Ahhhh.....She lucks out, this time, and there it is. You look next to hers for your own car. Maybe it's there too?


Nope not there.


Keep going...keep looking...and hope nobody is watching the parking lot video live.


Aww. C'mon! It's facing you? Just opposite of the first car you went to? What?






Halfzheimers turns to Alzheimers without the knowledge of the victim. 


Think about it.


Nope not there.



1 comment:

  1. Aunt Suzi, thanks for helping me post my first comment ever!
    Ok, so here's my actual comment...
    I have done this so many times, especially the part about intentially parking your car somewhere you can find it and then walking around the whole lot just to find out that you parked in the second parking spot of the first row, but there's a big old van covering up your car. :) You are not alone.

    ReplyDelete

Share your thoughts.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.