Impounded! Part II

So we had a great dinner in Chinatown and came back to find our car gone. Now what?



We flagged down a police car, explained to them that they had stolen our car, and how the heck could we get it back? They spent some time laughing at us, but did tell us that they towed a bunch of cars from there about half an hour ago, and we could find our car at the Suckers Impound Lot. Maybe. If we were lucky.

Could we walk? Did we even want to walk in the cold? And the dark? And while feeling stupid? Gone were our feelings of superiority. We decided that we would take a cab.

Right then, a taxi showed up and drove us all around the most seedy parts of town, to drop us off at the impound lot. Welcome to Philadelphia, enjoy your stay! M used the travel time to tell us stories about how he got his car impounded in Baltimore. When he arrived at the impound lot over there, they were closed, and he couldn't even get his car out that night. We sure hoped the Suckers Impound Lot would still be open!

We arrived at the impound lot, and phew, it was open. We went in, and started the lengthy process of getting my car back. The car of which I did not know the license plate, and of which I didn't have the rental agreement on me. Only thing I knew, was that it was a grey impala with a Maine license plate.



M remarked that this impound lot is so much better than Baltimore already. To actually have someone there to talk to. Even if it took quite a while before she figured out my car. 'No, I have no idea about the license plate, sorry.' But eventually she did. We were listed as a 'stopped by the police' which would be more expensive and she took some time to change that to a 'got towed while having dinner' category.

While we waited, I made fun of the ATM in the building. I mean it clearly says 'NO WAY you are going to have enough money on you to pay our fees!' M continued his Baltimore story which involved a huge towing fee, only payable in cash. And no ATM nearby of course. AND his car windows smashed in when he finally got his car back. Which made the barbed wire here a bit more understandable, but I still thought it looked very unfriendly.

Finally I got a red, important looking slip of paper, allowing me to go and get the rental agreement and insurance information from the car. Not that that was going to help me much, but I was starting to be more hopeful. I had to go by myself, we clearly were to dangerous too be allowed in as a group. Stay tuned for how I changed nationalities in the next installment.