Raccoon?

Santa Cruz Chronicles

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I haven’t actually physically seen him yet, but (apparently) there is a behemoth of a raccoon that patrols the sides of our house at night, as well as the backyard.  It’s kind of like our Santa Cruz house’s Loch ness monster, if you will.  And since no one’s actually seen it, it’s hard to say how big it actually is, which is a little frightening.  So frightening, in fact, that the other night (when I got in my car to run to the store) I climbed in through my car’s passenger seat because I didn’t want to walk into the pitch black area by the driver’s side, and stumble into some abominable creature.  That all being said, the giant raccoon will remain a(n) (more realistic) urban myth until it’s identified.  It’ll happen someday.  I’m just not particularly looking forward to that day.  

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In other news, I found a great parking lot in the sketchier side of downtown where I can park for FREE for three whole hours, until 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., when there's no time limit at all.  So last night, I kind of tested the waters with this parking lot.  My shift down at the coffeehouse started at 4:45, so I parked in the lot at 4:35 and jammed to work by foot down the street a few blocks.  In my mind, what harm would leaving my car there for an 25 minutes do?  Low and behold, after briskly walking in the night toward the parking lot, there sat my trusty old car.  Either I lucked out, or someone's lookin' out for me.  (Insert smiley face here).  

Speaking of working at the coffeehouse, I'm really beginning to grow accustomed to the way they run their store.  Each store has practically the same mantra, but all the same, they each have specific ways they like to go about doing certain things.  For example, last night I closed.  My shift supervisor had asked me to bring in the outside furniture (tables and umbrella) but to lock all the chairs up with this rusty chain link lock thing.  So, that being said, I followed instruction and brought in all the furniture, after locking the chairs together outside.  Don't worry, I was able to get everything through the front doors with the help of some local bums who propped the doors open for me.  (Not creepy at all).  Just when I thought I had done everything to a "T," my shift supervisor chuckled at the fact that I brought the ENTIRE umbrella (stand and all) into the store, when I was really only supposed to bring the top of it in.  No wonder it was so heavy/seemed so labor intensive.