Yesterday started like any other day, except I got to drive Romi to work and show her off. Funny. Everyone in the parking lot showed much respect for Romi. No one parked next her even.

Not sure if it was due to the security camera I had placed on oour building so I could watch her, or if it was due to me going outside every 5 minutes and making sure no dust was settling on her.

Later in the afternoon she did draw a crowd of ladies who ooohh'd and ahhhhh'd over her. But no one touched her. They just pointed a lot and smiled.

Mini's do that to people. I have noticed my neighbors smiling a lot more when I get Romi out of the garage. Oh,..but back to our story.

Last night the Wife comes home and tells me she needs to go get a new carry-on bag and ask me if I would not mind driving? I was in Romi before she finished the sentence! We get to the store and I park in the north 40 and we walk for 30 minutes to get to the entry of the store.

Purchase the bag and head to Planet Burrito for some good blow-out food. While there Romi draws looks from everyone driving by as I had parked her in a bank parking lot (which was closed) and she was all alone.

We munch down the burritos and and head to the house. I take the long way home. We get home and I put Romi away for the night.

So, this morning, I pull into the drive at work and head to my parking place. Low and behold a VW GTi was parked next to my spot. Not just any GTi either. This one was riced up to the max. We are talking body kit (half falling off and crack in several places) to a full on wing that had to be 6 feet wide and stood off the car by about 8 feet. It too was in disrepair. Looked like it was used to hang clothes on to dry.

The car looked like it had been painted using canned spray paint in black. And I am guessing if I looked under it I would see 6 foot long flourescent lights (probably taken from a office building).

I started not to park next to it and I could have sworn Romi was fighting me turning into the parking space. But moving my camera would be difficult. So I pulled into the slot, but made sure Romi was far enough away so the door of the GTi could not reach her. No one parks on the other side so Romi is safe.

So I put up Romi's sun shade and get out. Do the slow turn towards her as I walk away, and then this dude comes out of the building across the parking lot heading towards the GTi. So I stop and just watch. I am about 30 feet from Romi and slightly leaning towards her,..just in case.

The *dood* gets to the GTi, and with a head bouncing motion that would make Owen Wilson look normal, he speaks, "Man, nice Cooper. Too bad it is a piece of **** compared to the GTi. You gay, or what?"

I bust out laughing so hard I think I am going to fall over. My stomach still hurts. He flips me off and gets in his car and leaves. I make note of his license plate. He strikes me as the jealous type and possibly wth a mean streak. Definitely a coward.

So here we are. Having a ball and smiling a lot. I laugh more now too. I think Romi thinks I am a bit silly. But she is cool with it.

 

HA! Great story(telling)! Let's hope he's not a regular in the lot. Glad you're enjoying!

 

You mean your security camera doesn't keep a tape??

 

I am wokring on it. I just put the camera up last week and now have an old 900Mhz P3 system I can use for recording. The 750GB drive just arrived yesterday as well.

Until it is running, I have a real time screen running on my desktop.

 

Sweet Jesus! I thought you were kidding about the vid system! Sorry to have underestimated your...well, whatever it is!

 

Oh, ..should I post a pic of the installation? The landlord let me do it as he thought it would be a good idea to have some security in the parking lot. One of the businesses in our complex is a music school so there are always kids coming and going. I played on his paranoia about being in the news due to some kid getting raped and killed in his parking lot and not being able to help the police.

He was very receptive to the idea of the camera then. I can be evil. hehe

 

You've done a public service! You should post a streaming feed somewhere for us! I'd watch it, I can't see Mia from my office, so at least I'd get to see her cousin (or whatever they are).

 

If was anyone else, I would have assumed he was joking. My brain did ponder that possiblity for perhaps 3/10 second. But, after weighing the evidence, quickly dispensed with the idea as ridiculous.

 

Brilliant Idea

 

Skuzzy, you ROCK!

 

Four+ years of motoring 'round these part and I have never run into anyone with an attitude as bad as GTi-boy!!! Good thing, too!!!

 

I swear he looked like someone just popped him off the dashboard his head was bobbing around so much.

Dunno why he was there. Maybe looking for a job. I have never seen that GTi before and it is a small lot.

Thanks MINIclo!!

 

Skuzzy, you told that story superbly! I think it might be good if you compile all of your posts and someday include them in a book, perhaps entitled "Skuzzy and Romi; a Love Story" or perhaps "Memoirs of a MINI and a Skuz" Who knows it may lead to an animated classic. I'll buy the book, but I'll wait 'till the flick is on DVD to see it.

 

Do you think the GTI guy was a illegal?. And maybe you could put one of those GPS tracking systems in "Romi" so you would have a permanent record of where He/She? has gone

 

Skuzzy doesn't have a problem.

It's like people say "she's got a drug problem" but they only say that when she can't get drugs.
Skuzzy has got his. No problem.

 

What I meant was is "Romi" male or female

 

Thanks Phil K. Actually I am working on an animated clip which is based in the world of Mini. I showed a real early rough if it to the NFR guys/gal.

Oh, he was legal Ex-Pat. Just a typical stoner who looked liked he was trying to get out of the Goth mode realizing to work in the real world he had to look like a real person. You could tell he was really uncomfortable wearing regular pants.

Romi is all lady.

LOL!

 

Am I the only one who is not surprised after reading Skuzzy's post? I know tons of *doods* who own SIs or GTIs and consider Minis to be a POS.

 

geforce23, we have to maintain ourselves and havr compassion for the people who will never be able to understand or revel in the Mini experience. BUT,....we do not have to allow them to slam their big, fat, obnoxious doors into our pride and joy!

 

Skuzzy, have you thought of purchasing one of those magnetic bumper strips that you stick on temporary when you are in a bad parking space. they cost about $30 a pair. BDY nice color you got!!

 

They would have to be wide enough to cover the entire side of Romi. I have gotten door dings on my roof before. Some of this dang trucks sit 4 feet off the ground!

I have seen windows broken out of cars by truck doors! The is Texas, where the contest is to see how high you can get your truck before you start to clip signals hanging over intersections!

 

...remainds me on a cartoon in the San Jose local newspaper (March 2, 2007 for teh colletors) by Baldo cartoons. Caused quite an uproar between the MINI owners...

You can read part of the discussion at:

http://www.baldocomics.com/resources...og_archive.php

(also part of the cartoon is still there - scroll down toward the middle...)

...and see a part of the cartoon. But yes - the idea was that - you know - ...



MMM