10-16-2007, 03:09 PM
So... I'm engaged. That's the big news! The story's a bit crazy...
The Story
-----------
Saturday, I had my family in town and I cooked for them and Hannah. It was an amazing dinner and we chatted til late. I dropped the folks off at their hotel and came home. I was ready to pop the question, and my drunken roommates came home making a HUGE ruckus. I came out and found one of them and a few friends carrying a mattress upstairs and shoving it on the roof. (Cal lost to Oregon State and I have graduates of both in my house). So, Hannah and I did the sensible thing, and helped them break down the OSU grad's bed and move it up to the roof. We had a couple beers with the friends and hung out until like 1:30am. Then everyone left and Hannah and I were on the roof of my house. It was a beautiful night under the stars and city lights. So I did it. She said yes. There was much rejoicing.
We woke up Sunday morning and had a great day with the family. There were lots of congratulatory interfamily phone calls and it was wonderful. Hannah and I then met up with some of our friends at the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival. We ate TONS of pumpkin pie, had champagne, and danced a lot to a Rolling Stones cover band. (Pics to come) Finally, we got home late and chilled out until like 11:15pm. Then, I remembered I needed to move Hannah's car because it was parked in a Monday early morning street cleaning zone. Hannah asked me twice not to go because she was afraid. I should've listened. There have been several murders in my neighborhood recently. One as recently as Friday night. Also, my house has just been rezoned by the city as inside a so called "Gang violence zone"... The house is AMAZING inside, but at night, the streets go quiet. I live on the edge of the zone that houses the Latino equivalents of Bloods and Crips.
I walk out to the car and it's all fogged up. I hop in and hit the wipers so I can see out the front. I start cruising slowly around the small city streets looking for parking. I am one block from my house and I see a big guy in a hoodie crossing the street about 200ft ahead of me. I'm moving slowly. He has plenty of time to get across. He stops in the middle of the road. I'm thinking... is this some random homeless guy who's lost his marbles? He turns towards me and stares straight at me. I start to slow down. He lifts his hood off of his head and starts to walk towards me, not blinking. He's a buff latino guy with a shaved head and some sort of tattoo on it. I slam on the brakes when he reaches into the front of his pants and reveals a shiny, silver gun. I'm about 40ft from him, stopped, face to face with a gun wielding gang member. Does he think I'm from another gang? Does he want my car? Is this an initiation hit? It takes about .02 seconds for me to throw it into reverse and punch it. I can't see SHIT out the back of the car. Both mirrors are fogged. I'm just watching for headlights on my fogged back window. At the same time, I'm getting ready to duck. I notice, it's 11:30. This is still the day of my engagement. I don't want to die.
My foot's on the floor going backwards down a narrow street flanked on both sides by parked cars. I FLY through a stop sign intersection tail first and slam on the brakes. I zip onto the side street and recompose myself. My hands are sweating but steady and I can feel my throat trembling. I notice a police cruiser and I zoom up to his tail. I start flashing my lights at him and waving out the window. I follow him to a traffic light and stick my head out the window yelling "OFFICER, PLEASE STOP" while showing him my hands. He doesn't acknowledge me for the 3 blocks (1 traffic light and 2 stop signs) that I follow him for. I guess even cops don't stop in my 'hood after a certain hour. I find parking on the other side of my house and run home.
So, we're engaged though. I'm alive. All is well :-) We're very happy.
The Story
-----------
Saturday, I had my family in town and I cooked for them and Hannah. It was an amazing dinner and we chatted til late. I dropped the folks off at their hotel and came home. I was ready to pop the question, and my drunken roommates came home making a HUGE ruckus. I came out and found one of them and a few friends carrying a mattress upstairs and shoving it on the roof. (Cal lost to Oregon State and I have graduates of both in my house). So, Hannah and I did the sensible thing, and helped them break down the OSU grad's bed and move it up to the roof. We had a couple beers with the friends and hung out until like 1:30am. Then everyone left and Hannah and I were on the roof of my house. It was a beautiful night under the stars and city lights. So I did it. She said yes. There was much rejoicing.
We woke up Sunday morning and had a great day with the family. There were lots of congratulatory interfamily phone calls and it was wonderful. Hannah and I then met up with some of our friends at the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival. We ate TONS of pumpkin pie, had champagne, and danced a lot to a Rolling Stones cover band. (Pics to come) Finally, we got home late and chilled out until like 11:15pm. Then, I remembered I needed to move Hannah's car because it was parked in a Monday early morning street cleaning zone. Hannah asked me twice not to go because she was afraid. I should've listened. There have been several murders in my neighborhood recently. One as recently as Friday night. Also, my house has just been rezoned by the city as inside a so called "Gang violence zone"... The house is AMAZING inside, but at night, the streets go quiet. I live on the edge of the zone that houses the Latino equivalents of Bloods and Crips.
I walk out to the car and it's all fogged up. I hop in and hit the wipers so I can see out the front. I start cruising slowly around the small city streets looking for parking. I am one block from my house and I see a big guy in a hoodie crossing the street about 200ft ahead of me. I'm moving slowly. He has plenty of time to get across. He stops in the middle of the road. I'm thinking... is this some random homeless guy who's lost his marbles? He turns towards me and stares straight at me. I start to slow down. He lifts his hood off of his head and starts to walk towards me, not blinking. He's a buff latino guy with a shaved head and some sort of tattoo on it. I slam on the brakes when he reaches into the front of his pants and reveals a shiny, silver gun. I'm about 40ft from him, stopped, face to face with a gun wielding gang member. Does he think I'm from another gang? Does he want my car? Is this an initiation hit? It takes about .02 seconds for me to throw it into reverse and punch it. I can't see SHIT out the back of the car. Both mirrors are fogged. I'm just watching for headlights on my fogged back window. At the same time, I'm getting ready to duck. I notice, it's 11:30. This is still the day of my engagement. I don't want to die.
My foot's on the floor going backwards down a narrow street flanked on both sides by parked cars. I FLY through a stop sign intersection tail first and slam on the brakes. I zip onto the side street and recompose myself. My hands are sweating but steady and I can feel my throat trembling. I notice a police cruiser and I zoom up to his tail. I start flashing my lights at him and waving out the window. I follow him to a traffic light and stick my head out the window yelling "OFFICER, PLEASE STOP" while showing him my hands. He doesn't acknowledge me for the 3 blocks (1 traffic light and 2 stop signs) that I follow him for. I guess even cops don't stop in my 'hood after a certain hour. I find parking on the other side of my house and run home.
So, we're engaged though. I'm alive. All is well :-) We're very happy.
My Tumblr
2008 Felt F75 - Pedal Power
2008 Felt F75 - Pedal Power