Happenings

This week I seriously considered moving.

Reason #1:

Let me set the scene.

Saturday night at about 10:00 I get a text from the sister missionaries: "Hey, can you pick one of our investigators up for church tomorrow, her name is Felicia?" Me: "sure, meet me there in the morning?"

Sunday morning I drove up, parked next to the sisters' car and game them a ring. The sisters walk out with a hispanic girl in a track suit. (I'm not sure if they told her how we usually dress for church, but whatever!)

The whole way to church Felicia raves about MY CAR... MY CAR, folks! Remember what I drive?

Betsy. 1985 Volvo 740... 340,000+ miles on her. Looks just like this, just imagine her with more dust on her.

So the whole way to church I hear "This is a cool car" "I like this car" Then, it gets worse: "I need to figure out how to use this car so I know what to do when it's mine" and "I'm going to take your car." 

I laughed it off, till after church, when the sister missionaries came over for lunch. We're sitting on my bed, eating enchiladas, and they divulge some things about Felicia. 

Turns out, Felicia signs all of her texts "$lil lokita$" And has some... suspicious tattoos. Like gang tattoos. 

AND SHE WANTS TO STEAL MY CAR. 

Needless to say I was perturbed. 

Reason #2

Again setting the scene. 

It's about 2 pm, I'm sitting in the laundromat, minding my own Language text book (let me tell you how dry that book is!) Waiting for my laundry to dry so that I can get into work. 

It was not like this: 

Enter a man. 6 food, red head, big-ish. He looks at me and says (and I kid you not)

"Are you worried about not being able to get into your driveway?"

Me: "I'm sorry?"

Man: "You live just over there, right?" (Gestures in the direction of my house, 3 blocks away) 

        "The road construction is on hold till March"

 *Note: Portales is in a constant state of construction, I live just off the highway that goes through town. They're currently re-doing the other side of the two lane, one way road. At some point they'll switch sides and I'll have to park around the corner or something...ok, back to the story...*

Me: "Oh, yeah, I was worried I'd get back from Christmas break and not be able to get to my house"

Him: "You rent from _______ (I don't remember his name), right?"

Me: "Yeah, I think that's his name..." (turns back to book, hoping that it will make my point).

Him: "And your house has a washer/dryer hook up, doesn't it"

Me "yeah"

Him: "What utilities do you pay?"

The conversation continued. My attempts to concentrate on my reading was impossible. And, as I left he said:

"Well, see you around." (BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHERE I LIVE!!)

Needless to say I am a little freaked out!



All week I have lived in fear of coming out in the morning and having my car gone. Or opening the door at night to find the tall ginger standing on my step.


Perhaps, next time I am house shopping, I'll think through things. Things like, the frat house that is across the street from me. Or the fact that I'm on the MAIN road, and I have a recognizable car in Portales, NM. (There is a super cute baby blue Mercedes from about the same era as Betsy). Also, backing out onto the one-way street during busy traffic times can sometimes be... interesting.

So, here's the deal. If my car disappears, I'll be checking up on $lil lokita$ and if I disappear, you're going to want to go to the Happy Wash Laundromat and find their employee, tall, red head, big-ish guy. He'll probably know where to find me.

And, someday. I'm going to get a garage.