When I realized that today's article would appear a mere two days before Christmas, I realized that I probably shouldn't write about the shopping mall parking lots and I should instead talk about the magic of Christmas and the excitement of Santa coming for my children this year. I shouldn't mention the fact that all of us in Prince George should be accustomed to driving in winter and snowy conditions and that parking lots shouldn't cause us to lose our minds and act like idiots. I really am not going to talk about the dude in the enormous truck that parks across three spaces in the Spruceland mall who makes it impossible for other shoppers to find a spot remotely close to the grocery store. I am also not going to talk about the lady who was driving the giant, extended-cab truck in the parking lot at Parkwood Mall who obviously was not used to driving that beast in small spaces.
Because it's the season of gift-giving and Christmas cheer, I will not mention how frustrating it is after a large snowfall that every single truck in Prince George in a parking lot thinks that it's the size of a Pinto and holds up all traffic while attempting to back into a stall it has no chance of ever fitting in comfortably. No, I will not mention that if the stall lines in parking lots are not visible, we seem to be unable to park in a straight line during the busy holiday shopping season. I really am not going to talk about the impatient drivers who try to run me over in the Costco parking lot while I am walking with my son (on a leash because he runs away) and with my daughter in her car seat carrier.
I will instead talk about the generosity of the people willing to dig my van out of the slush mess when I got stuck last week. I might mention how even though I've been driving for more than half my life, I always feel nervous when four men jump out of their cars to push me out of the snow and I have to be the person that drives and reverses the vehicle. I think that I'll always feel like I'm sixteen years old and that I don't know what I'm doing. Thank you for helping me.
Because it's Christmas, I will wish the citizens of Prince George a very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. I wish the last-minute shoppers good luck in finding their perfect gift and on Christmas Eve, I'll be having a rum and egg nog way too early in the morning - and I won't be driving.
