Where's My Car?

Funny Parking Stories. What's Yours?

Here's Mine...

At one of the companies I worked for, the annual team building event for our department was held at Vallco Shopping Mall in Cupertino.

We were to go to TGI Fridays at Vallco Shopping Mall, and then go bowling in the bowling alley also located at Vallco Shopping Mall.

Since I had to pick up my daughter after school, I said I would attend the lunch at TGI Fridays, but not the bowling.

Several of us arrived in our cars at Vallco at the same time, and I just followed some coworkers' cars.

We got out of our cars, and then chatting busily, we entered the Mall through one of the Macy’s entrances and someone in our group immediately got some things off the rack and took it to the counter to pay for it.

After she had finished with that, we went to TGI Fridays, which required us to exit the building we were in.

As soon as our lunch at TGIs was over, I said bye to everyone and told them to have fun at the bowling.

This is when the trouble started. I entered the building where the Macy’s was, exited from it where we had entered, and expected to find my car there.

It wasn’t there.

I was shocked. We had entered the mall from that entrance. It had to be there.

What to do next?

I decided to exit from some other mall entrance and search there.

No luck.

I exited yet another mall entrance and searched there.

No luck.

I went back to the first car park.

No luck.

I looked at my watch and an hour had passed.

How embarrassing.

It crossed my mind that some who were leaving the bowling early may run into me and say, “What are you still doing here?” and I would have to tell them I lost my car, and be the big joke at the office the next day.

Meanwhile minutes were ticking away - there was also the possibility I would be late for my daughter’s pick-up from school.

My last hope was to go to the cashier at the counter where one of our group had paid for some merchandise.

I said, “Excuse me, but I entered the mall from this entrance, and I thought my car would be out here in the car park, but it isn’t. Do you know where I might have parked.”

He said, “Yes, Maam, there is another level of parking below this one. Go out and go down those steps over there. You probably parked on the lower level.”

He was right.

I found my car.

I dashed out of that car park as fast as I could.

It was not as much due to my need to be at my daughter’s school on time…

..so much as wanting to escape running into any of the bowlers!

Narrow escape!

I never told them the story the next day, or ever!

Indu's funny parking story next.....

I once set off to shop close to home, went round and round in circles searching for an empty spot to park. Ridiculous! Not one spare space. I crawled on,and on, intent in my search. There at last! Someone pulling out! I hovered, eyes fixed on the space, and smoothly glided in feeling smug, and got out, looking around at last. The building in front of me looked very familiar. Well no wonder. I was right outside my own house again.

Your turn - what's your funny parking story?