I've been pranked, or I guess today they refer to this as punk'd.
And I have to admit it was a pretty good one, pulled by my own staff, with the help of one of Upper Darby's finest.
This all started Tuesday afternoon as I was leaving the office. Naturally, just as I decided to head for the car, the skies opened up and it started to pour.
So I trudged back to my office, grabbed an umbrella, then braved the elements as I dashed to my car for what promised to be a soggy ride home.
That's when things took a decided turn for the worst. There was no mistaking the bright orange envelope stuck under my windshield wiper. Not much doubt about it, I had gotten a parking ticket.
Which was kind of interesting seeing as how my car had not left that parking spot in our company lot all day.
I juggled the umbrella and my brief case and snagged the envelope, which now was soaking wet.
It sure looked real, and it appeared I had received a parking ticket in the Daily Times parking lot.
Let me explain. Our parking lot is not in the best of shape. My personal parking spot (yeah, one of the perks of the job) happens to have a large depression right where my left front tire would sit. To avoid this I have taken to actually straddling the white line in the parking spot next to mine, which is not a problem since it's usually empty anyhow.
On Monday one of my staffers was taking a break in front of the building at the same time one of Upper Darby's finest was visiting the office.
As the officer exited, he was approached (notice there is no allegedlys being used in this saga)and agreed to take part in the ruse - a bogus parking ticket for the editor who was clearly double-parked.
Of course, no one bothered to let me in on the joke. So the next morning, with the ticket now dried out, I could make out that it was issued at 13:15 p.m. at 500 Mildred Ave. for double-parking.
Since I know that Mike Chitwood's guys are now active on social media, I fired off a tweet of my own:
Very funny, @UDPolice, @ChiefMChitwood! I get a ticket for double parking in my own spot in the Times' parking lot? Tell me this is a prank!
It didn't take long for them to respond. It was news to them.
Later in the morning I got a call from Dave Madonna asking me to call him about this 'insane' parking ticket.
It was about that time that my staff came clean and admitted the prank. I quickly gave Madonna a call back and let him know.
The name of my staffer - and the officer - will not be released to protect the guilty.
Nice one, guys.
But you've been warned: I owe you one.
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