How To: Parking in Philadelphia

1. Park in an area without looking at the signs (because you think $21.00 is a ridiculous fee for parking per night).
2. Leave car overnight.
3. Wake up at 7:45am, go to street, realize car is missing.
4. Look at sign, realize that cars left after 7:00am will be towed at owners expense.
5. Kick yourself for not listning to your wife 45 minutes ago when she said "Shouldn't we move the car?"
6. Call the Philadelphia Parking Authority numerous times and get disconnected (also numerous times) while using their "helpful automated" system.
7. Rejoice at the fact that now you'll know where Ikea is since it is in front of the impound lot.
8. Have your Prudential Fox and Roach Buyers' Agent drive you to the impound lot.
9. Pay a $125 tow fee and think, "Gee, that was cheap."
10. Call rental car service 10 times before talking to an actual person. Have them fax the rental agreement to the impound since you obviously can't find yours.
11. Call your insurance agent to have them fax proof of insurance since the only cards you carry are expired (even though you are, indeed, an insurance adjuster and realize how stupid it is to drive without proof of insurance).
12. Go back to receive the proof of insurance and rental agreement from the PPA clerk...along with your $41.00 parking fine.
13. Get your car and park in the same place.
14. Put 30 cents in the meter (because you don't carry cash, only plastic).
15. Get three dollars from your wife and walk around the neighborhood for half an hour looking for someone to make change.
16. Buy two Philadelphia soft pretzels and make change out of the remaining 2 dollars.
17. Place one quarter in your meter. Realize that you only have 20 minutes to move your car because you now heed the sign and realize that vehicles must be moved before 4:00pm (it is currently 3:40).
18. Sit in your hotel room with your wife for 20 minutes as you look at Philadelphia home listings.
19. Go back to your car at 4:00pm.
20. Arrive at your car at 4:04pm.
21. Thank God that your car wasn't towed.
22. Enter your vehicle.
23. Become angry when you see that there is, indeed, another traffic fine sitting on your passenger side window.
24. Open envelope and realize that you owe Philadelphia another $41 bucks.

Here's the deal. We figure the Lord is trying to teach us something about stewardship, or trust, or something and that all of this has been some what of a disciplinary process. You see, Laura gave up her seat in Atlanta (for those of you who don't know, we flew to Philly on two seperate airlines to save some cash) and received a $200 travel voucher and a $7 food voucher. The total of my towing and two tickets equals the amount she made by giving up her seat (that's right, $207).

I mean, honestly, who charges such a strange amound ($41) for a ticket anyways?

Hello city, we are here to join your ranks!