Shortly after my brain injury I attempted to resume graduate studies.  Parking on any campus is a test of timing and parking agility.  I never found this a real problem before injury.  It’s just something we did to attend classes on campus.

Unfortunately, I had no energy, no stamina, no strength to walk a distance, no nothing … what the h*ll was I doing at KSU?  I couldn’t carry my books, they were simply too heavy.

All I needed to do was drive, park and attend class.  It sounds easy, right?  No…driving takes mental energy.  Parking is like a game on campus.  Attending classes is a test of cognitive challenges with a brain injury.  My world seemed upside down. I was determined to be “better” and ride the storm.

I walked so slow with a wide base gait that a turtle could pass me by.  I received a parking ticket. Don’t recall where I parked, but I needed to pay the ticket.  As though attending class wasn’t hard enough…now I needed to find another parking spot to pay the ticket.

U park like an as***** (Photo credit: elgringospain)

I found myself the only spot available, and obviously it wasn’t a parking space!  As I came out from paying the ticket, I was issued another parking ticket.  Gee, I guess they didn’t think one parking ticket was enough!  I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

I didn’t have enough energy to walk back in.  I parked as close to the door as I could.  They are lucky I didn’t think it was a drive-thru!

Oh, I guess if I thought it was a drive-thru that would not have been a parking ticket, instead a moving-violation!

That would have been an entirely different campus or building.  Grateful they were just parking tickets.

So, are two better than one?

Related articles

• How to Avoid Getting a Parking Ticket (myparkingsign.com)
• Is Her Parking Ticket My Responsibility? (simplystated.realsimple.com)