D'oh!

Nope, this isn't my car you're looking at. But the image does help set the tone for this self-confession.

But before I tell this story, first a little background:

-- More than once, I've left the office to go out and plug a parking meter, only to discover I've left my wallet or my keys on my desk.
-- Once I rode the bus home from work, only to realize when I walked up to my house that I'd driven the car that day.
-- Another time coming home from work, I rode the bus to the intersection where I'd left the car that morning, figuring I'd drive home from there ... only to realize I'd left my keys at work. I sheepishly called my wife and asked her to come pick me up on a dark, rainy night. Just as she pulled into view, I discovered I did have the keys in a different pocket. She wasn't too happy about that. And, yes, I'm still living it down.

So...maybe it won't come as a surprise to learn of my latest bout of absent-mindedness.

After lunch today, I parked my trusty '67 VW Bug just one block away from the office, a most convenient spot. I realized I didn't have my wallet (D'oh!), but I did have two quarters -- enough to buy a whopping 18 minutes or so of time. I slapped the payment receipt on the front passenger window, as required, and slammed the door shut and headed back to work.

Just as the time was due to expire, I returned to my car -- wallet in hand this time -- and was startled to see the passenger door ajar. As I approached, I saw the seat belt buckle was sticking out a bit and had prevented the door from closing. I didn't realize it because I'd already turned on my heel as I slammed the door and walked away from the Bug.

The amazing thing about this is that nothing was taken or tampered with. Here, you've got a car in downtown Portland with who knows how many people walking past it and no one even bothers it? Was it because it was broad daylight? Was it because people are basically honest? Or was it that people felt sorry for the poor schlep who left his car door open?

I'd like to think it was part honesty, part sympathy for the absent-minded.

As for the above photo, it reminds me of the time I went out for coffee, put the cup on the car roof .... and, um, drove away.