December 99 December 98 December 97 _________________ Thursday 16 December 99   [ why I didn't write today ] a story by Rachel Rein The day began well.   We had to wake up extra early so that he could study for his last final [I resist the urge to write his final final].   He got done early. We had a splendid lunch at The Blue Nile.   He suggested it, and I am so glad he did.   I enjoyed a glass of honey wine. I acquired a lovely green glass tea cup, which will merrily sit in my living room when I have a living room.   We talked of packing, but we never did.   I watched him do laundry. The long-standing plan of the evening was a visit to Aurora in the city.   His car is badly behaved, so we have to drive with the heat on high to keep the temperature down.   I was so glad when we arrived into the cool arms of the city night. We picked up Rora at her office and drove her to her home.   We knew parking would be out of the question, but we made several rounds anyway.   Just wrap your car around the corner.   Rora is good at taking charge.   We are only going to be ten minutes. I paid attention to the car.   I envisioned it rolling out into the street.   I brushed the vision away.   So, does nobody use that garage?   I gestured to the garage that we were blocking.   Rora shrugged. Our ten minutes took nearly a half hour.   When we went back outside -- having finally decided on a restaurant -- I could see the car was missing immediately.   In a split second I surveyed the street, replaying my vision of the car rolling out in traffic. Where's your car? Towed. M and I understood the situation with crystal clarity immediately.   Rora was more shocked.   My mind was racing as to how to rectify the situation with as little stress on M's part as possible. My immediate fear was that we wouldn't be able to get the car that night.   As I was terrorizing myself with this idea, I saw a woman come out of her apartment.   Rora was querying who one calls to locate a towed care.   I interrupted her and made a slight gesture. That's the woman who had the car towed. Rora went to talk with her.   Shortly thereafter she went to talk with the parking enforcement officer, who's car she spotted across the street.   Matthew and I sat in silence. It's at city hall, Aurora reported. We summoned a cab and made are way to city hall while rolling our eyes at the rude driver. Waiting in line I pontificated, This is one of those jobs where you deal with unhappy people all day. This must be a horrible place to work. The clerk who dealt with our claim was exceptionally unattractive, exceptionally overweight, and full of the rudeness and power trip one would expect of an employee in such a position.   Aurora referred to him as the Mr. T experience for the remainder of the evening.   We did eventually laugh at our situation. I paid for the towing fees and ticket, with a little help from Aurora.   Matthew later treated us to dinner.   Dinner didn't begin until well after ten. I meant to write a diary entry when I got home, but I got home well after midnight, and I am a stickler about those time stamps.   I didn't write an entry today because my boyfriend's car got towed in San Francisco.