In Search of the Elusive Parking Spot: An Epic of Epic Proportions
The Parking Spot is by nature a timid creature, traveling in herds and grazing in large lots. Once the campus of SMU teemed with throngs of these docile creatures, but not so now. The Student Body has made these creatures scarce, putting them right at the top of the Endangered SMU Species List, right above the SMU Goth. Competition to trap and occupy these beasts is fierce and some Students will go to amazing lengths to capture and keep just one.
We start our search in the Peyton Lot, cruising slowly in our nifty Mazda Spot Catcher 2000, but with no luck. We then turn to Dyer Lot, and as we wander down the asphalt we encounter the phenomenon of the Phantom Spot. Lurking behind an SUV of massive proportions is what appears to be a Spot! As we creep slowly up on our prey every inch of empty space is greeted with hopeful enthusiasm, but our cheers die on our lips as the minuscule Car comes into view. Our Spot it is not. Sadly we turn back towards Peyton Lot, intending to cut through to Binkley.
As my companion Lynn and I pull around the curve, we see a Car full of Students with its lights on.....
Is it going in or coming out?
We slow and wait. Lynn thinks it is coming, I sigh and, not daring to hope, cruise by slowly and put on my blinker. As I turn left I keep a lookout in my rear view mirror, hoping against hope that we were wrong.
Suddenly...
Miracle of Miracles!!! The Car pulls out and a small parallel style Spot is left alone and defenseless on the end of its line along the curb!!
I quickly drive around the curve of Bishop, see a car enter Peyton before me and make a snap decision...
I pass the entrance to Payton, pull into the spot nose first, against the flow of traffic, and quickly turn off my lights and shift into park.
The other Car has not seen us and the Spot is ours.
ONly one problem remains.... We must wait for a lull in the flow of ravenous hunters long enough to back up and turn around and re-occupy our Spot. We sit quietly in the dark, waiting, waiting, waiting, giggling giddily over our triumph and in anticipation of the task at hand. We go silent as the cars pass, hoping they don't see us or think we are moving.
Finally, a cease on the flow. We quickly back out, drive past the spot and then quickly reverse and catch it off guard. We slip into it easily and quickly and our mission is complete. We have snared ourselves a beauty of a Spot, close to the Dorm,
a rich prize indeed.
We start our search in the Peyton Lot, cruising slowly in our nifty Mazda Spot Catcher 2000, but with no luck. We then turn to Dyer Lot, and as we wander down the asphalt we encounter the phenomenon of the Phantom Spot. Lurking behind an SUV of massive proportions is what appears to be a Spot! As we creep slowly up on our prey every inch of empty space is greeted with hopeful enthusiasm, but our cheers die on our lips as the minuscule Car comes into view. Our Spot it is not. Sadly we turn back towards Peyton Lot, intending to cut through to Binkley.
As my companion Lynn and I pull around the curve, we see a Car full of Students with its lights on.....
Is it going in or coming out?
We slow and wait. Lynn thinks it is coming, I sigh and, not daring to hope, cruise by slowly and put on my blinker. As I turn left I keep a lookout in my rear view mirror, hoping against hope that we were wrong.
Suddenly...
Miracle of Miracles!!! The Car pulls out and a small parallel style Spot is left alone and defenseless on the end of its line along the curb!!
I quickly drive around the curve of Bishop, see a car enter Peyton before me and make a snap decision...
I pass the entrance to Payton, pull into the spot nose first, against the flow of traffic, and quickly turn off my lights and shift into park.
The other Car has not seen us and the Spot is ours.
ONly one problem remains.... We must wait for a lull in the flow of ravenous hunters long enough to back up and turn around and re-occupy our Spot. We sit quietly in the dark, waiting, waiting, waiting, giggling giddily over our triumph and in anticipation of the task at hand. We go silent as the cars pass, hoping they don't see us or think we are moving.
Finally, a cease on the flow. We quickly back out, drive past the spot and then quickly reverse and catch it off guard. We slip into it easily and quickly and our mission is complete. We have snared ourselves a beauty of a Spot, close to the Dorm,
a rich prize indeed.