Rearview

Today, by a random turn of events, I attended a meeting I had expected from which to be absent.  In a hurry, I decided to parallel park on the road rather than search for a spot in the parking lot farther away.

I pulled up next to the mini-van that I would be parking behind before turning my wheel all the way over.  This was really a classic textbook parallel parking job and I was confident in my abilities until I caught a glimpse in my side mirror...and then my rear-view mirror...and my side mirror again.

I was backing into a space right in front of a Jaguar!  Panicking, I slammed on my brakes and started inching at a painfully slow pace towards the vehicle-I-hoped-not-to-touch.  When I got as close as my nerves could bear, I turned the wheel and moved forward again.  What should have been an easy and simple parking job turned into an ordeal.

When I got out to inspect my parking job, I noticed this:
I was only inches away from the mini-van in front of me.
I was a foot away from the curb.
There was a clear three foot gap between Kato and the Jag.

Scared much?

Yes.

But at least the owner of that Jag will never have to get my number and address so he can send me a bill for an imported car part worth more than me (financially speaking, of course).

I'd call it a resounding success.

And a good story.

Moral: Looking before you leap might mean you freak yourself out of doing a good job at something but at least it can prevent you from doing a really bang up BAD job at something.