IMR: 1998: January: 20

IMR: 1998: January: 20 -- Tuesday, 6:39 a.m.
O`ahu Avenue, Manoa, Hawai`i

I'm finally paying for tuition this week, so I'll be able to pick up my Zone 20 pass and escape this early-morning ritual of hunting for on-street parking at 6:30 in the morning.
Still, I've gotten used to the routine.
The bleary-eyed driver always waiting to pounce on my space when I drive off. The swarms of cops and tow trucks clearing out the unfortunate dozen or so cars still parked along the Ala Wai, and the occasional half-naked guy (or gal) in a bathrobe sprinting across the street to stop them. The garbage trucks and street cleaners blocking random lanes. The bizarre contraflow cone setup at University and Kapi`olani. The side streets closest to campus already packed with parallel-parked cars, and the exhausted faces of the sleeping students within.
In the rear view mirror, I can see a girl is passed out in the passenger seat of a Mazda, her feet up on the dashboard. The truck in front of me has its interior light on, the occupant probably sneaking a last-minute study session.
The sun hasn't come up yet, and every five minutes or so a senior citizen power-walks past.
For the first time in recorded history, I actually did my Hawaiian homework at home over the long weekend, and thus can spend these few minutes watching life go by and listening to "Mark & Brian" on the radio.
In about 90 minutes, I'll be back at home, asleep again, snuggled tightly around my wife and feeling my daughter-to-be turn somersaults in her belly. I really like my Tuesday schedule.
Then, it's off to the doctor for our regular 11 a.m. appointment.
Whoa. Zoned out for a minute there. Gotta run.

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