1/
#WhatsYourWhy
Last week
Him: "Are you. . . Manning?"
Me: "Yup."
*pause*
Him: "Okay, just to be clear: Ma'am, I'm here only to take payment and remove the immobilizers from your tires. I can't handle any disputes or anything."
Me: "Uhh. . .okay."
He adjusted his mask.
#WhatsYourWhy
Last week
Him: "Are you. . . Manning?"
Me: "Yup."
*pause*
Him: "Okay, just to be clear: Ma'am, I'm here only to take payment and remove the immobilizers from your tires. I can't handle any disputes or anything."
Me: "Uhh. . .okay."
He adjusted his mask.
2/
Me: "Excuse me, sir. May I ask a question?"
Him: *looking up from credit-card reader* "Yes, ma'am?"
Me: "Is 'immobilizer' a new fancy name y'all use for 'boot?'"
*laughter*
Him: *shaking head* "You funny."
Me: "Immobilizer? This is downtown ATL, shawty. That's a BOOT."
Me: "Excuse me, sir. May I ask a question?"
Him: *looking up from credit-card reader* "Yes, ma'am?"
Me: "Is 'immobilizer' a new fancy name y'all use for 'boot?'"
*laughter*
Him: *shaking head* "You funny."
Me: "Immobilizer? This is downtown ATL, shawty. That's a BOOT."
3/
He laughed again and took my credit card.
Me: "Dang, so you must really meet some characters."
Him: *shaking head* "Maaaan, listen. These folks be going off on me. And I be like, 'Look, I'm just here to take your boot off.'"
Me: "You mean immobilizer."
*laughter*
He laughed again and took my credit card.
Me: "Dang, so you must really meet some characters."
Him: *shaking head* "Maaaan, listen. These folks be going off on me. And I be like, 'Look, I'm just here to take your boot off.'"
Me: "You mean immobilizer."
*laughter*
4/
Me: "Right? You rolled up on me like I was gon' go off on you!"
Him: "I mean, you was standing by your car with your arms folded like somebody's mama."
Me: "That's 'cause I am somebody's mama."
*laughter*
Okay. So let's back up to how I ended up in this predicament.
Me: "Right? You rolled up on me like I was gon' go off on you!"
Him: "I mean, you was standing by your car with your arms folded like somebody's mama."
Me: "That's 'cause I am somebody's mama."
*laughter*
Okay. So let's back up to how I ended up in this predicament.
5/
Fast story is that I went to an early morning (masked) hair appointment. Against my gut instinct, I parked in the non-guest parking.
Dumb, I know.
But anywho. I joke to my stylist that I may be back if I got booted. Which would've been funny if it wasn't true.
Mm hmm.
Fast story is that I went to an early morning (masked) hair appointment. Against my gut instinct, I parked in the non-guest parking.
Dumb, I know.
But anywho. I joke to my stylist that I may be back if I got booted. Which would've been funny if it wasn't true.
Mm hmm.
6/
So out I come and there they are: Attached to my front and back tires, two shiny yellow boots.
I mean, immobilizers.
Ah hem.
And I throw my head back and laugh. At myself. And I say out loud, "Ms. Maya Angelou? When you know better you do NOT always do better."
Uggh.
So out I come and there they are: Attached to my front and back tires, two shiny yellow boots.
I mean, immobilizers.
Ah hem.
And I throw my head back and laugh. At myself. And I say out loud, "Ms. Maya Angelou? When you know better you do NOT always do better."
Uggh.
7/
So I got booted. Because even though I knew better, I didn't do better.
Ha.
50 years + 4 1/2 months. That's how long I made it before ever getting my car towed, booted, or immobilized. Which, seeing as I'm from Inglewood, is pretty damn good if you ask me.
Anyways.
So I got booted. Because even though I knew better, I didn't do better.
Ha.
50 years + 4 1/2 months. That's how long I made it before ever getting my car towed, booted, or immobilized. Which, seeing as I'm from Inglewood, is pretty damn good if you ask me.
Anyways.
8/
Since it was a bit drizzly, I'd tied a satin scarf onto my head--which was still there when the de-immobilizer gent arrived.
Mmm hmm.
So now you're caught up with what he saw:
A lady with a head scarf, hoodie and Ugg boots standing beside her booted car waiting.
Since it was a bit drizzly, I'd tied a satin scarf onto my head--which was still there when the de-immobilizer gent arrived.
Mmm hmm.
So now you're caught up with what he saw:
A lady with a head scarf, hoodie and Ugg boots standing beside her booted car waiting.
9/
Who happened to also be a doctor.
Ha.
He dropped into a deep squat to unlock the boot-slash-immobilizer. My knees hurt for him.
Me: "Does that hurt your knees?"
Him: "Nah. I'm used to it."
He scooted over to the other tire from the same position. I rubbed my knees.
Who happened to also be a doctor.
Ha.
He dropped into a deep squat to unlock the boot-slash-immobilizer. My knees hurt for him.
Me: "Does that hurt your knees?"
Him: "Nah. I'm used to it."
He scooted over to the other tire from the same position. I rubbed my knees.
10/
Me: "Hey--I have another question. What you think about getting a #COVIDVaccine?"
Him: *looks up and squints*
Me: "You think you'll get one?"
Him: *chuckles* "That's random."
Me: "Oh. I'm a doctor. So, it's not THAT random."
He knitted his brow and went back to his task.
Me: "Hey--I have another question. What you think about getting a #COVIDVaccine?"
Him: *looks up and squints*
Me: "You think you'll get one?"
Him: *chuckles* "That's random."
Me: "Oh. I'm a doctor. So, it's not THAT random."
He knitted his brow and went back to his task.
11/
I caught a glimpse of my scarfed reflection in the window.
Me: "I'm a doctor, for real!"
Him: *standing* "Lady, you funny."
Me: "I'm not kidding. I just got my hair done and don't want this rain to jack it up."
Him: *staring at my scarf*
Me: "So? What you thinkin'?"
I caught a glimpse of my scarfed reflection in the window.
Me: "I'm a doctor, for real!"
Him: *standing* "Lady, you funny."
Me: "I'm not kidding. I just got my hair done and don't want this rain to jack it up."
Him: *staring at my scarf*
Me: "So? What you thinkin'?"
12/
Him: "Bout that shot? I probably will but I don't want to be in the 1st round."
Me: "Hmm."
Him: "But I ain't trippin' 'cause from what I hear it's hard as hell to get it." *shrugs* "By the time they work all that out next year, I'll be ready."
Me: 😳
He laughed. I did not.
Him: "Bout that shot? I probably will but I don't want to be in the 1st round."
Me: "Hmm."
Him: "But I ain't trippin' 'cause from what I hear it's hard as hell to get it." *shrugs* "By the time they work all that out next year, I'll be ready."
Me: 😳
He laughed. I did not.
13/
Me: "Hopefully we'll work that out soon so you can get it right away."
Him: *raised eyebrows* "Yeah. . .okay."
He handed me a receipt.
Him: "What you doing getting booted anyway?"
Me: "You want the truth?"
Him: "Yeah. Let's go with that."
*laughter*
Me: "Hopefully we'll work that out soon so you can get it right away."
Him: *raised eyebrows* "Yeah. . .okay."
He handed me a receipt.
Him: "What you doing getting booted anyway?"
Me: "You want the truth?"
Him: "Yeah. Let's go with that."
*laughter*
14/
Me: "I knew it was gonna be raining so i wanted to park close to the door. Plus, I've never seen anyone get booted here."
Him: "You serious? Maaan, this Boot City!"
Me: "Yeah. My hair stylist tried to warn me."
Him: *shaking head* "And you say you . . . a doctor, huh?"
Me: "I knew it was gonna be raining so i wanted to park close to the door. Plus, I've never seen anyone get booted here."
Him: "You serious? Maaan, this Boot City!"
Me: "Yeah. My hair stylist tried to warn me."
Him: *shaking head* "And you say you . . . a doctor, huh?"
15/
Me: "With a head scarf and a booted car, yup."
*laughter*
Me: "So, listen. . .I'm glad you said you'll probably get vaccinated."
Him: "Yeah. I want to kiss my granny. And get out and about."
*silence*
Me: "That's a good reason."
Him: *sighs and adjusts mask* "Yeah."
Me: "With a head scarf and a booted car, yup."
*laughter*
Me: "So, listen. . .I'm glad you said you'll probably get vaccinated."
Him: "Yeah. I want to kiss my granny. And get out and about."
*silence*
Me: "That's a good reason."
Him: *sighs and adjusts mask* "Yeah."
16/
Me: "Alright then, friend. Be safe out there."
Him: "I'm'on' try, doc."
Me: "And go on and get your shot when you can. Don't wait on it, okay? That new strain is more contagious. And you want to protect your granny."
Him: "Oh snap. I heard about that new-new!"
Me: "Yup."
Me: "Alright then, friend. Be safe out there."
Him: "I'm'on' try, doc."
Me: "And go on and get your shot when you can. Don't wait on it, okay? That new strain is more contagious. And you want to protect your granny."
Him: "Oh snap. I heard about that new-new!"
Me: "Yup."
17/
Me: "Okay. Let me get on out this drizzle. Thanks, fam."
Him: "Ha. . .and thank YOU for not going off on me for your car being booted."
Me: "Um, that's immobilized to you, sir."
*laughter*
Him: "Truuuth."
I waved and got into my car. And drove off--head scarf and all.
Me: "Okay. Let me get on out this drizzle. Thanks, fam."
Him: "Ha. . .and thank YOU for not going off on me for your car being booted."
Me: "Um, that's immobilized to you, sir."
*laughter*
Him: "Truuuth."
I waved and got into my car. And drove off--head scarf and all.
18/
Logistical speed breakers.
Wanting to kiss granny.
And a new strain, too.
These were his reasons.
His.
Here's what I know for sure:
1. It feels good to not be immobilized.
2. His granny is lucky.
3. Listen to Ms. Maya Angelou and your gut.
#BlackWhysMatter ✊🏾
Logistical speed breakers.
Wanting to kiss granny.
And a new strain, too.
These were his reasons.
His.
Here's what I know for sure:
1. It feels good to not be immobilized.
2. His granny is lucky.
3. Listen to Ms. Maya Angelou and your gut.
#BlackWhysMatter ✊🏾
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