Joy Riding

Original Post: October 16, 2006

So...I drop my car at a valet parking place near the airport...not at the airport mind you...just near the airport--a little cheaper cuz money happens to be a little tight lately (insert the 'you get what you pay for' cliche here).
When I return from my journey, I go to get into my lovely vehicle and notice some slight changes. Subtle at first...none that would really stand out--the seat is pushed all the way back--that is fine, he could have just done that so that he could pull it up to the front of the lot...but then I realize, the seat is actually also adjusted to be TILTED back...you know, seat back, one-hand-on-the-wheel...cruisin' style...ODD..does one need to be reclining in that much comfort to drive my car from the back of the lot to the front? Then I note that my sunroof is pulled all the way shut. I have a sliding dark cover that I always leave open so the glass is exposed so the light streams in...perhaps they just were afraid the sun may bleach my seats? Courteous...maybe. Then I turn my car on. Radio is set to country. Loud, COUNTRY country...not even pop-country that if I were feeling particularly-meloncholy I may listen to...we're talking achy-breaky heart country. Ok, said momma bear, someone has been sleepin' in my Hyuandai Elantra. I mean...someone could NOT have taken my car from the lot and DRIVEN it...I drive a beat up Elantra. It has not one, but TWO Tinkerbell stickers. It has a Chili's antenna topper. It is currently broken so that TWO of the windows have duct tape holding them closed...my ride is not what one would call "pimped." Why would someone take it??? Nonetheless, as I was driving home, I realized, I did not have enough gas to make the trip back...I was certain I had almost 1/4 tank when I went to the airport....Strange...