Driving to Matrah

Now I am driving to Matrah, driving to Matrah for readers who are not Omani is a trip with special needs… You have to be free and no other commitment; you have to be ready to have a long work before even reaching the market. And most of all, its way far from where I live so you should have company…

6ab3an that should be in normal circumstance but I had to go before my trip to Thailand, I did not have company as I wanted to go very early evening avoiding all the traffic (and mum was out of Oman), addition to that I have to meet someone after that…

I take the ergo and make my move just after work (not to mention I don’t even know the roads very well)… ;)

I make my way, approaching the market, and thinking should I take the way heading to parking close by the market which seems impossible with all the cars are in the way or should I drive ahead way far to park, but then I tell myself maybe I'll be the lucky one today… let me take my chances…

I drive slowly with the flow of traffic, looking around hoping to capture someone who is approaching to leave… I get closer and closer to the market and no hope, telling myself ill be doing the normal long walk again… Suddenly the car in front of me stopped indicating to park and I was waiting for him to park… While waiting I noticed three empty parking on the left side, with two handicapped stand… And I get confused are two of them for handicapped or all three…

Then I said ill park the third one, since there's two stand then the third parking it's for anyone and no one noticed… got excited it the close parking ever to the market… and yea I am the lucky one today… but I noticed I boy standing on the parking spot…

After I indicate wanting to park my car… this conversation happened:

Me: Pointing with hands, I need to park my car

Boy: No, No this parking is reserved

Me: WHAT? (opening the car window with all the weird expressions on my face) What do you mean reserved?

Boy: Yea, I am standing reserving this parking for my family behind the line

Me: Do you mean behind my car?!? There no such thing reserving a public parking, if that is the case everyone would of done the same…

Boy: 5alti, respect me standing here… and you are causing traffic behind you…

Me: You should respect the public rules, who ever get empty parking takes it WITH THEIR CARS, not by reserving for a car which is a mail away… now let me park because you are making me hold the way…

"6ab3an by this time, everyone is getting annoyed behind me and bib bib bib nonstop"

Suddenly a man got himself involved with the conversation (which later I knew he was the driver of the car behind me)…

Man: Boy, listen we all want parking and been looking for such long time so just let the lady park her car.

Boy: No, let her look for another one, we have been driving for more than one hr in this area.

Man: We all do, so just keep looking (in very polite way)

Boy: (Shouting) No way, why don’t she keep looking I have been standing, now I will just stand here what will you all do

Me: I will keep waiting here till you move

Man: Hey Boy, this is not a civil way of act. (Then facing me) call the police leady, here there is one policeman.

Me: Looking to my right where the police station was, and yea I see a policeman standing outside.

Boy: Ok Ok will see will see (with the face of threaten moving away) …

At last I got to park my car and let the traffic get moving but I was really scared, specially with the fact I was a lone and in a neighborhood which I am not familiar with… Once I stopped the car, my heart start beating very fast, for a moment I thought of moving my car and start the journey of searching again, then I said he could not be able to do anything to the car (as it was crowded place and next to a police station)…

Pulled myself into one piece and took the ergo to step out of the car…

In the Bullet Point:

1. The conversation was a bit longer but could not remember the rest.

2. The boy was way rude talking to me.

3. I would have let him park the car if he was not rude and me having to meet someone after that.

4. What would you do in my place?