Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wendy's World - Are you a member of 'that' club?

I lost my car.

Let me start my explanation by saying that I can lose almost anything. Mornings at my house are a constant search for my stuff. Typically, its a last-minute scramble in search of car keys, sunshades and even shoes. And yes, I usually end up grabbing the house phone and calling my cell to locate that.

But a car is a stretch, even for me.

Okay. It has happened once before, but that really wasnt my fault. While I was a student at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, I parked in a spot that (as it turned out) was designated only for members of a specific club.

I wasnt a member.

When class let out at 10 p.m., I headed confidently for my car. While part of me wanted to believe that my Mazda had morphed into a Mustang, Id had enough education that I wasnt really buying it. It took about a half hour to track down the tow truck driver whod taken my car and another hour to catch a ride home. I say all that to point out that Im no stranger to lost cars.

But on this more recent event, I was parked outside the Picayune office. I am a member of that club and anyway, if someone were going to tow my car wed surely have heard it inside the office.

It took me less than another minute to figure out what had happened.

Someone must have stolen my car. My location here is an entire block from the police department and two from the sheriffs office, so theft was entirely possible.

I was just about to step back inside to report the crime when a couple of raindrops fell.

And prompted a memory.

Earlier that morning it had also been raining. And Id decided to drive to the courthouse instead of walking as I usually do.

And - you guessed it - since it wasnt raining when I left the courthouse, I walked back to the office.

Leaving my car at the courthouse.

As soon as I realized what Id done, I remembered that I was parked in that area marked, for courthouse business only. I wouldnt have been at all surprised to discover that my car had been towed while I was a block away, working.

After all, Im not a member of the courthouse business club, either.