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- Average day’s work leads to unusual night life
Average day’s work leads to unusual night life
- By Rosemary Dellinger
- Published 08/11/2010
- Commentary
- Unrated
Hot summer nights in the Yakima Valley can lead to crazy and amazing sights. Last week, I experienced two pretty bizarre sights.
Last Monday, I arrived at home at dusk. My next-door-neighbors lead a much more exciting life than I do. They often have friends over, even on weeknights. Although we have limited parking on the street in front of our duplex and shared driveway, they are mindful to leave space to allow me access to my driveway. So I was a little puzzled when I found a truck encroaching on my parking space as I pulled in.
As usual, I headed into the house first to check on Ruby, my fuzzy, furry and sometime cantankerous roommate. Ruby complains when I get home later than she deems necessary – mainly because it is past her treat time. When I came back out to retrieve my papers and other items from the car, I noticed the truck that was encroaching a little bit in my driveway was now blocking the driveway altogether.
Hmmmm. It was dark, but I couldn’t see anyone in the truck. A bit puzzled, I stood by my car for a minute looking at the truck. Again, it was dark but it seemed like the truck was actually slowing inching forward. I took my papers and books in the house and fed Ruby, who was now talking like a first grader following the first day of school and waiting impatiently for her treat.
A few minutes later, I looked out the window and sure enough the truck had inched forward and was now past my driveway. The truck was slowly shuffling along down the street’s incline. It reminded me of an old man with a walker, slowly making his way along, inch by inch. However, directly in the path of the shuffling truck was another car.
It flashed a crossed my mind as to what would happen if the older pickup which was loaded with bricks struck the car. Directly behind the car was their van. What would it be like if they had a big collision on the street? Where would the cars go? What would it sound like?
But thankfully, the Good Samaritan within my heart stepped forward and propelled my feet quickly to the next-door-neighbor’s house to inquire about the truck.
As soon as they answered the door, the owner of the truck looked out and saw his truck had disappeared.
“Your truck rolled down the street,” the neighbor said told her guest.
“No, the truck is rolling, it is still moving,” I replied.
Fortunately, the truck’s owner moved much faster than his truck and he was able to get inside and stop the potential disaster.
Apparently, the combination of an older pickup with a somewhat faulty parking brake coupled with the load of cement bricks in the back created unforeseen momentum.
The following night I was heading home again near dusk. As I approached the stop sign at the intersection of First Avenue and in Toppenish, I saw a rather unusual sight. What looked like a car with its flasher lights on was coming slowing down the street with a large mattress flopped across the top. I sat at the intersection and waited as the car approached. Sure enough, the small car was carrying a mattress on its roof – all of it resembling a mattress sandwich. The car slowly negotiated the corner.
Right behind the small car was another car with something on its roof. At first I couldn’t tell what it was, but as it approached, it looked like a frame. The first car turned left, while the second car turned right. The incident gave new meaning to the word splitting the sheets. I guess they not only split the sheets, but the bed, too.
Right after turning in opposite directions, both cars stopped in the streets. Because it was dark, I could see the brake lights both go on simultaneously. The driver of the first car began talking on a cell phone and I could see the other driver pick up what looked like a phone and began talking as well.
While the first car continued west on First Avenue, the second car turned up the next block. By the time I made it to the end of the street to turn onto Myers Road, two cars had managed to get back together.
It’s all in a day’s work…and all in a summer’s night, too. -RD
Last Monday, I arrived at home at dusk. My next-door-neighbors lead a much more exciting life than I do. They often have friends over, even on weeknights. Although we have limited parking on the street in front of our duplex and shared driveway, they are mindful to leave space to allow me access to my driveway. So I was a little puzzled when I found a truck encroaching on my parking space as I pulled in.
As usual, I headed into the house first to check on Ruby, my fuzzy, furry and sometime cantankerous roommate. Ruby complains when I get home later than she deems necessary – mainly because it is past her treat time. When I came back out to retrieve my papers and other items from the car, I noticed the truck that was encroaching a little bit in my driveway was now blocking the driveway altogether.
Hmmmm. It was dark, but I couldn’t see anyone in the truck. A bit puzzled, I stood by my car for a minute looking at the truck. Again, it was dark but it seemed like the truck was actually slowing inching forward. I took my papers and books in the house and fed Ruby, who was now talking like a first grader following the first day of school and waiting impatiently for her treat.
A few minutes later, I looked out the window and sure enough the truck had inched forward and was now past my driveway. The truck was slowly shuffling along down the street’s incline. It reminded me of an old man with a walker, slowly making his way along, inch by inch. However, directly in the path of the shuffling truck was another car.
It flashed a crossed my mind as to what would happen if the older pickup which was loaded with bricks struck the car. Directly behind the car was their van. What would it be like if they had a big collision on the street? Where would the cars go? What would it sound like?
But thankfully, the Good Samaritan within my heart stepped forward and propelled my feet quickly to the next-door-neighbor’s house to inquire about the truck.
As soon as they answered the door, the owner of the truck looked out and saw his truck had disappeared.
“Your truck rolled down the street,” the neighbor said told her guest.
“No, the truck is rolling, it is still moving,” I replied.
Fortunately, the truck’s owner moved much faster than his truck and he was able to get inside and stop the potential disaster.
Apparently, the combination of an older pickup with a somewhat faulty parking brake coupled with the load of cement bricks in the back created unforeseen momentum.
The following night I was heading home again near dusk. As I approached the stop sign at the intersection of First Avenue and in Toppenish, I saw a rather unusual sight. What looked like a car with its flasher lights on was coming slowing down the street with a large mattress flopped across the top. I sat at the intersection and waited as the car approached. Sure enough, the small car was carrying a mattress on its roof – all of it resembling a mattress sandwich. The car slowly negotiated the corner.
Right behind the small car was another car with something on its roof. At first I couldn’t tell what it was, but as it approached, it looked like a frame. The first car turned left, while the second car turned right. The incident gave new meaning to the word splitting the sheets. I guess they not only split the sheets, but the bed, too.
Right after turning in opposite directions, both cars stopped in the streets. Because it was dark, I could see the brake lights both go on simultaneously. The driver of the first car began talking on a cell phone and I could see the other driver pick up what looked like a phone and began talking as well.
While the first car continued west on First Avenue, the second car turned up the next block. By the time I made it to the end of the street to turn onto Myers Road, two cars had managed to get back together.
It’s all in a day’s work…and all in a summer’s night, too. -RD