do over-over-over

Parallel parking is certainly a learned skill. I admire the skill, but am not perfect at it. (I actually rock at it, but am trying to be humble. Doh!) We got a demonstration of the skill while sitting in a great Cuban restaurant in NYC.

Don’t judge us, just because every post about NYC involves something happening while we were eating.

We were waiting for our food. A silver RAV4 approached a free (both moneywise and the otherwise) curbside space in front of the restaurant. He was traveling with his wife, mother-in-law and baby.

I glanced at the driver as he backed into the space.

I then noticed that he was pulling back out of the space.

Hmm, I guess he saw a better space? (If you have never been to NYC, you will not get just how funny this joke is- take it from me it is the best joke you have ever heard. If you have been/live in NYC and don’t think this is funny, well, I guess you are right, but let’s not spoil it for those that have not.)

Nope, he was just repositioning. He backed back into the space.

Okay, can’t blame a guy for taking a do-over.

But wait-he pulled out of the space again. I alerted Wendy of the situation. He was pulling back in.

He was about five feet away from the curb. He began to maneuver closer.

He had pretty good clearance in front and back of him. He went forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, forward, backward, forward, backward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, then backward again. I am not exaggerating.

At this point, he was still a couple of feet away from the curb. He got out of the car to inspect the situation. He saw that he was still a couple of feet away.

Forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, forward, backward, forward, backward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, then backward again. I am not exaggerating.

Somehow, he was now about three feet away from the curb.

I could see his wife providing encouragement.

More maneuvering.

I have been trying to calm my face, because we are about ten feet away from each other. I raise my menu here, because I cannot do it anymore.

I glance around the restaurant and notice that our friend has attracted a lot of attention.

I wonder whether he is just going to give up.

He tries for a couple more minutes. He finally ends up within a couple of feet of the curb, where he was about ten minutes before. He exits the car. His wife gets out of the car. They put the baby in the stroller. The mother-in-law gets out. They start to walk away. All of the restaurant-goers make themselves look uninterested as the party’s glance shifts our way.

Then the mother-in-law stops the man, says something to him, gets the keys and walks back to the car. She starts it, pulls out of the space, backs into it and parks it perfectly on her first try.

Comments

[sarah]

What great pics...and a really cute baby! Love the picture from the perspective of the parents.

[laura]

rocking MIL that dude has. sounds like he needs it! ha!
gorgeous pics as usual...do i need to keep saying that? :0)

[Virginia]

bwahahaha, that's the funniest story! People are amazing! Gorgeous pictures. Are they from NY or TX?

[Tyler]

Central Park, NYC

[Tara]

How did you know it was his MIL? Did he look really stressed out, then humiliated when she fixed it for him?

[Serena]

You two are just too good... it is almost unfair. Didn't your mothers teach you not to show off? Just kidding. If you've got it flaunt it... and you've got it in the bag! Love the pics.
Also I looked at you home website today and I kinda copied your song. I loved it so much that I had to put it on my blog ...just for one post I promise. The song along with your pictures was magic... I may have shed a tear. Serious.
Thanks,
-the song thief