The drop off traffic at elementary school is a huge mystery to many of the people in all of San Diego. Actually, I only really know of two neighborhoods, UTC and PQ. I assume my specific experience is the same all over the entire world. Lots of people ‘triple parking’; lots of kids opening the doors while cars are moving because their parents are ambiguous in their determinism when it comes to traffic; lots of people just pitching it at the curb at a 45 degree angle towards a fire hydrant and putting the hazards on while they walk in their 1st grader.

I usually have no problems parking… there are times I have to walk further than I’d like to back to my car, but I know how to parallel park because I raised right by parents who knew how to mock a person until they parked correctly.

This morning I found a “too good to be true” spot at the gate, swung it right back into position and was met at the curb by a nice lady letting me know that I couldn’t leave it there because it was a newly formed, unmarked drop off area.

“You can’t leave the car here, we’re trying to make it a drop off area so it’s safer for the kids.”
“Oh? Okay Chase, you’re in charge. You two have to stick together and walk in alone because Dad parked wrong.”
“Oh no sir, it’s not illegal or anything it’s just a new thing we’re doing… ”
“Don’t worry, the kids know I wear a mask when I do illegal stuff; right kids?”
“yes dad”
That was the principle and I probably should have filtered my humor a bit.

Some times I hope my humor translates well so I can feel like part of the tribe. Some times it warms my lonely heart to know it will never.