Metermaid Pyle

Metermaid Pyle
State College, PA
1985-1988

I moved back to State College in 1985 to complete my doctoral degree.  At the time, I had no money and a poorly thought out plan on how I was going to make it through until I found a big girl job.  I had an efficiency apartment, a beat up old car, a dictionary, my stereo system and a few albums.  Everything I owned at that time fit in to my grey Ford Granada.

I didn’t need much except for a parking place for my car.  I lived right in town and parking was not included in my lease.  So, I had to park on the street every day and fill the parking meter.  So, every day, I got a parking ticket.  Actually, not every day, Saturdays and Sundays had open parking.  I could have parked in a garage that charged $3 for the day.  But the parking ticket was only $2 and once I was ticketed, I was never issued another ticket for the day.  So really, it was cheaper to get the ticket.  Every Friday, I took my five tickets all issued by Meter Maid Pyle, sent in my $10 and waited patiently for the onslaught of tickets to start up again on Monday.

Finally, in early 1988, I moved out of town and had an apartment with parking. That ended my burden of tickets.  That extra $10/week went to my beer fund.

One day, I went in to town to buy my first CD player.  I was so excited and I carried my large bundle out the store and down the street to my car.  Off in the distance, I see two meter maids at my car.  I see that I am getting a ticket so I call out to them that I am coming.

“Is this your car”, one of them asked?

“Yes, I was just in this store, the meter must have just expired”, I say which was a big fat lie because I hadn’t put any money in the meter.

“I haven’t seen you around?  How have you been?  I thought you must have left town."

By the time I get right up to them, I see Meter Maid Pyle’s name tag.

“I mean, not that we ever met.  But I recognize your car”, she continues.

“Yea, I moved out of town, I tell her.  “My new place has parking. So, I’m not in town much anymore”, I tell her almost defensively for not keeping in touch with her.

 “Yes”, she tells me. “Parking is really a problem around here. I’m glad you’re safe. At first I thought maybe something was wrong was wrong with you”.

 The other meter maid stands in disbelief. She cannot believe that the two of us are talking is it two old pen pals finally met. She’s not sure how to proceed.  She hands the ticket to Meter Maid Pyle who hands the ticket to me.

 “Well it was nice seeing you again”, she says in a very pleasant voice.

 “Yeah you too,” I tell her.  And we part with goodwill for each other.

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