Let the traffic mayhem commence!
So today was the beginning of the PNE, a la traffic bitchrape on 2900 E.Pender. I got an early start to the day (ok 10am is early for me alright?!) and hobbled out to the scene. I was pleasantly surprised to see the main lot full and the grass lot not opened yet. Things started out real slow though since everyone was holding up their $10 or $12 signs, and there I was holding my freshly laminated $15 sign out for everyone to pass seemingly unbenounced. It took a good 30 minutes before I got my first car of the year. From then on it was smooth sailing. The night lot wasn't as spectacular since the grass lot dropped their price to $10 (those cheap bastards), forcing me to bring out my freshly laminated $8 sheet in disgust. In all the basket was holding $97 it wasn't holding the day before. Disappointing really considering I was set on raking up $150, but when everyone else is trying to low-ball each other, it's not good news. Now I know first-hand why businesses don't like competition! And speaking of competition, I had one guy down the street making a move on one of my cars. I let him know once, because he wasn't aware of what was going on, but he seemingly ignored my words and kept trying to take the car from me. The second time I wasn't as diplomatic, warning him to not snatch my car. Luckily he understood and I got my car. Perhaps a year or two ago I would've let it slide, but my self-assertiveness woke up recently, so no car for you neighbour!
The most random thing happened to me a few days ago, and I'm wondering if it was a scam. Ok so I'm at Home Depot getting some wood stoppers for the outdoor PNE vehicles. I get them (after a half hour wait to have the 6' log cut), return to the car ready to dart for home, when an old chinese guy asks me if I spoke Cantonese, to which I of course reply yes. It appears that his car's battery died on him and needs a boost. I saw that I didn't have any jumper cables so I asked another person for some. I was going to send this guy to the man with the cables, but he wouldn't budge from me cuz he only spoke Cantonese. At this point I was starting to get a little pissed. So we (the 3 of us) head to his car's location, only to find that his car was towed. This little distraction was turning into a big diversion, and so the piss-o-meter was getting redder. To my surprise, and skepticism, the guy could only tell me the numbers of his BMW (said he didn't know how to say the english letters). I call the city impound, they haven't received the car yet. So I figured that I'd drive this guy to the impound and let him wait until his car comes in. I ask him if he has a credit card, since he must have one if he has a BMW. He does, however for whatever reason he said he gave it to his son who is tending to a relative's funeral in the States and needs it. Enough holes in the story yet? Oh it gets better. He says he's diabetic and thus starts to scrounge through the car looking for candy. He also downed my last little bit of water. At this point he starts phoning friends of his on my phone asking for a ride or place to stay while he gets this sorted out. Of course he doesn't find anyone and has the gall to ask me to lend him money for a taxi ride home. At the time I was feeling somewhat generous so I headed to the bank. He then said he was hungry and asked for a little more for a meal. Feeling the guilt-trip, I just gave him a $20 and let him get what he wanted. He then said he'd pay me back and asked for my number, which I gave (I'm so gullible). To top it off, he asked that I give him lucky money when we meet again for some sort of 'good fortune' or some other chinese custom. This struck me as appalling since first off, I was the one helping him, and second it's ALWAYS the elder that gives lucky money to the young. I finally dropped him off at a relative's place near Chinatown completely flabbergasted from what had just gone down. No don't, I'll whack myself with the stupid stick on this one.
The most random thing happened to me a few days ago, and I'm wondering if it was a scam. Ok so I'm at Home Depot getting some wood stoppers for the outdoor PNE vehicles. I get them (after a half hour wait to have the 6' log cut), return to the car ready to dart for home, when an old chinese guy asks me if I spoke Cantonese, to which I of course reply yes. It appears that his car's battery died on him and needs a boost. I saw that I didn't have any jumper cables so I asked another person for some. I was going to send this guy to the man with the cables, but he wouldn't budge from me cuz he only spoke Cantonese. At this point I was starting to get a little pissed. So we (the 3 of us) head to his car's location, only to find that his car was towed. This little distraction was turning into a big diversion, and so the piss-o-meter was getting redder. To my surprise, and skepticism, the guy could only tell me the numbers of his BMW (said he didn't know how to say the english letters). I call the city impound, they haven't received the car yet. So I figured that I'd drive this guy to the impound and let him wait until his car comes in. I ask him if he has a credit card, since he must have one if he has a BMW. He does, however for whatever reason he said he gave it to his son who is tending to a relative's funeral in the States and needs it. Enough holes in the story yet? Oh it gets better. He says he's diabetic and thus starts to scrounge through the car looking for candy. He also downed my last little bit of water. At this point he starts phoning friends of his on my phone asking for a ride or place to stay while he gets this sorted out. Of course he doesn't find anyone and has the gall to ask me to lend him money for a taxi ride home. At the time I was feeling somewhat generous so I headed to the bank. He then said he was hungry and asked for a little more for a meal. Feeling the guilt-trip, I just gave him a $20 and let him get what he wanted. He then said he'd pay me back and asked for my number, which I gave (I'm so gullible). To top it off, he asked that I give him lucky money when we meet again for some sort of 'good fortune' or some other chinese custom. This struck me as appalling since first off, I was the one helping him, and second it's ALWAYS the elder that gives lucky money to the young. I finally dropped him off at a relative's place near Chinatown completely flabbergasted from what had just gone down. No don't, I'll whack myself with the stupid stick on this one.