martinlittle.com:thinkThin

Tonight I went into San Francisco to attempt to go bowling and meet a friend. I knew the address of the bowling alley, on Moraga and Montgomery, but seeing as I had no number, GPS was no use (major note to GPS software makers: seeing as 95% of US addresses are given as on the corner of X and Y, surely your software should be able to take that kind of input, instead of forcing number entry!).

Using a paper(!) map(!!), I made my way around the city, to the Presidio with no problems. But then to find Moraga Street ... no joy. Finally, I decided to turn to NeverLost (GPS) and ask it. 5.9 miles away, it told me. Strange, but it should know SF better than me, so I followed it, to a residential street. I drove a few blocks, only to find more houses. In desperation, I tried calling, only to hear these magical words: "there's more than one Moraga Street and Montgomery Street in San Francisco".

So, I headed back over, to the same spot I'd left not so long ago. After a bit more busking, and a lucky visual spot, I made it to the bowling alley, only to find my friend was long gone. Ah well.

After making a quick call (to said friend), I hopped back in the car, ready to head home. A police car was drawing around the parking lot (some of you will already be seeing where this one is going...), and seemed to be slowing beside me and another car (nice Mercedes E230 Kompressor, blacked out windows, super-shiny alloy wheels, three young guys inside). The cop seemed to be waiting for some kind of action from the other boys, and I reversed out and was about to leave when the cop shone his torch at me and yelled at me to stop.

For a moment, I could see my next blog entry titled "Being Deported from the USA". The cop said "give me the beer".
Me: huh, what beer?
Cop: you're saying you weren't just drinking a bottle of beer when you were on the phone a minute ago?
Me: uh, yes, that's what I'm saying
Cop: you sure? I saw you, you know!
Me: I'm 100% sure I have not just been drinking beer, that there is absolutely no beer in this car and that I have not been drinking at all tonight. However, if you keep mentioning beer, which is what I'd really like at this time having been driving around San Francisco unsuccessfully looking for a bowling alley, then I'll be parking my car here and stepping inside presently. Good day to you, sir!

OK, the last sentence is a very slight exageration, but you get the picture. The cop nodded vaguely in my direction, then drove off. I drove home, carefully. Boy oh boy, what have I done???
[Note: absolutely no alcohol had/has passed my lips tonight. This driving thing can be a tough business!]