I met a top-secret source for lunch at Le Cheval last week. ... Oh my goodness! The things this source told me ... With this source's access to people of all levels of power in Walnut Creek ... If I could publish just some of the things told to me: It would rock Walnut Creek to its core!
I would have more than enough material for Peyton Place 2010: Walnut Creek Edition, not to mention the fact that the information would help me give the National Enquirer a real run for the Pulitzer Prize. Of course, this source might have to hire hit men to make sure this information goes with me to my grave. ...
But I digress. I really wanted to write about the new cute yellow parking tokens and the new automated pay stations in the city's three parking garages.
I had my first experience with those when I met my top-secret source for lunch.
I pulled into the Broadway Parking Garage, and at the entrance gate, obtained one of those little yellow tokens. It's the size of a quarter--or maybe a little bigger. I parked, and worried about where I would keep it. In my coat pocket? In my purse?
So keyed up by the information my source heaped upon me, I forgot to get my token validated when I left the restaurant. When I returned to the garage, I found the pay station on the ground floor, near the elevator and stairs. It took me a few seconds to figure it out, where in the machine to insert the token, where to insert the coins. Actually, the cost for my lunchtime parking was only $1. I saw that I could also pay with a credit card.
A real live person--a "parking ambassador" who works for the city--was there to give guidance, as the city said there would be during this transition period to from a human to an automated pay system. Two women behind me needed help.
