Trey Smith
It has been pointed out to me before that I seem to notice the oddest things. I certainly agree that, in terms of the average world, the things I sometimes fixate on are strange. Sometimes, however, I notice significant things that nobody else has noticed.
A few weeks ago I was parked out on the street in Raymond (waiting for my wife who was doing something or other). I was sort of half looking at the signage of some of the nearest shops. One sign, in particular, caught my eye. I read the words several times and something didn't seem right, but I couldn't put my finger on what that something was. Finally, it dawned on me that a key world was misspelled.
I went into the shop to point out the misspelling. The shopkeeper said that the sign had been in the window for over a year and no one had ever pointed out this error. In fact, she was amazed that she never caught it because she used to be an English teacher!
Yesterday my wife and I went to Long Beach for my regularly scheduled counseling session. Because my ailing hip is giving me fits again, we pulled into one of the two slots for the disabled (I have one of the blue placards). Since I was a bit early, I sat in the car munching on a pumpkin doughnut I had just purchased from Cottage Bakery.
As I'm sitting there enjoying the doughnut, I noticed something quite odd about the sign at the head of the parking space. It was one of those typical signs which stated that the space was reserved for only those individuals who had been deemed legally disabled. At the very bottom of the sign, it indicated the law citation regarding parking for the disabled: ORS 811.635.
As it so happens, ORS stands for Oregon Revised Statutes. Long Beach is a town in the State of Washington! Why is an Oregon law citation on a sign in a parking lot in a different state?
I pointed out this discrepancy to my counselor, Bill. We looked up the citation on the internet and it indeed was part of Oregon law. I mentioned my discovery to Stephanie (receptionist) on my way out. All the office staff was dumbfounded. They have been in their new building for over 3 years and, during that time, hundreds of people have been in and out of the parking lot every week. Heck, I have been in this same parking lot numerous times and I never noticed this discrepancy before.
None of us could figure out how two Oregon signs wound up in a Washington parking lot. I hope they get to the bottom of this anomaly soon...because it's driving me crazy! ;-)
A few weeks ago I was parked out on the street in Raymond (waiting for my wife who was doing something or other). I was sort of half looking at the signage of some of the nearest shops. One sign, in particular, caught my eye. I read the words several times and something didn't seem right, but I couldn't put my finger on what that something was. Finally, it dawned on me that a key world was misspelled.
I went into the shop to point out the misspelling. The shopkeeper said that the sign had been in the window for over a year and no one had ever pointed out this error. In fact, she was amazed that she never caught it because she used to be an English teacher!
Yesterday my wife and I went to Long Beach for my regularly scheduled counseling session. Because my ailing hip is giving me fits again, we pulled into one of the two slots for the disabled (I have one of the blue placards). Since I was a bit early, I sat in the car munching on a pumpkin doughnut I had just purchased from Cottage Bakery.
As I'm sitting there enjoying the doughnut, I noticed something quite odd about the sign at the head of the parking space. It was one of those typical signs which stated that the space was reserved for only those individuals who had been deemed legally disabled. At the very bottom of the sign, it indicated the law citation regarding parking for the disabled: ORS 811.635.
As it so happens, ORS stands for Oregon Revised Statutes. Long Beach is a town in the State of Washington! Why is an Oregon law citation on a sign in a parking lot in a different state?
I pointed out this discrepancy to my counselor, Bill. We looked up the citation on the internet and it indeed was part of Oregon law. I mentioned my discovery to Stephanie (receptionist) on my way out. All the office staff was dumbfounded. They have been in their new building for over 3 years and, during that time, hundreds of people have been in and out of the parking lot every week. Heck, I have been in this same parking lot numerous times and I never noticed this discrepancy before.
None of us could figure out how two Oregon signs wound up in a Washington parking lot. I hope they get to the bottom of this anomaly soon...because it's driving me crazy! ;-)
OMG, you've experienced an internal copy editor attack!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a potential border dispute.
Dear Trey,
ReplyDeleteYou do not know how I was so touched within my heart because of your message here. You articulated so well the normal human lack of consciousness, and the alternative potential view so well. Your metaphor message sinks to the marrow of what we all trying to talking about.
Thank you.
Baroness,
ReplyDeleteCopy editing is easy...when it's someone else's words! :-)
Shawn,
You're welcome.
"Finally, it dawned on me that a key world was misspelled." World?
ReplyDeleteTouche!!!
ReplyDeleteYa know, I should edit out that error, but I ain't gonna do it. It fits so well in this post in an ironic sort of way.
Good eye, Andy!