Posted by LkArrowhd/CA on 1/20/07 8:52am
Msg #171803
Another day in the life of the Notary-
The call came in as I was driving home, for seven in the evening, right around the corner from me. Once home, I call the borrower to confirm and offer to come a bit early if that works for them, I ask borrower how road is, still so much ice up here.
A heads up..... never ask another person their opinion of road conditions because everyone seems to have a totally different take when it comes to icy roads.
The borrower and by the way I can tell over the phone I'm goin like this guy, even though his road diagnosis was wrong wrong wrong.
Borrower ask if I have all wheel drive, I say yes, he says then you will have no problem getting up the access road. As a side note access roads in the mountains are often very steep.
I arrive to the location, no problem, I have my post-it on precise location, (I have my trusty flashlight, it's darker then hell up here). I'm at the location, I see the access road he spoke of, I'm in my car at the bottom of the access road looking upward at a road covered with ice.
Ok borrower said, all wheel drive, you can get up the access road, I have driven on icy roads before and my trusty all wheel has seldom not supported me and been behind every inch of the way. I head up the access road, get to the top, stop and ask myself did he say right, left or straight ahead, once at the top. I turn on my flashlight, look at my post-it and say well I think I go right. I begin to turn my steering wheel and go right.....car won't move, stuck in ice....GREAT. I make several attempts to jockey my car into position to get unstuck......no go, my tires are spinning and I'm leaving my good tire tread on the ice......I'm making a racket, someone will hear me and come and help me. No one comes out of their house up here when ice is on the road, they are all comfy and nesting in the house.
I say ok, let me put the car in reverse and slowly back down over the ice, if I slide I will only slide downward, this will be ok. I put the car in reverse, I slide down ever so gently, make it to the bottom, park the car on dry pavement. Get myself together briefcase in all. Now I always arrive early to my appointments, it's just me.......I can't stand to be late. I said 6:30 it is now 6:20.
Oh Oh and because borrower suggested I would have no problem with ice, I might also add I didn't bring what I call my tractor shoes, so if I have to trudge through snow I won't slip. I stand at the bottom of the access road looking up at what I think is the house. Cussin myself for number one accepting the signing and number two trusting the opinion of another on the road conditions, and that there will be a place to park and it will be clear sailing.....
I begin to walk up snow covered driveway, oh not snow covered, ICE COVERED.....I of course slip and fall on my ass briefcase in all. I sit on the cold ice and ponder, what are my choices, how in the hell am I going to get up to that house.....
About that time I hear a car coming.......the car turns up the access road, I make all kinds of commotion with the flashlight waving it franticly......driver stops rolls down window. I ask if she is so and so, she asks if I'm the notary. She says get in and hold on for your life....we take the access road at about 60 miles an hour, make an immediate 45 degree turn going at about the same speed and we land safely in their driveway.
Borrower says we will drive you back down to your car when we are done....
I was so pleased to hear that, otherwise I would have been sliding down that access road on my briefcase.
It turned out to be a delightful experience, nice couple, warm home, loving welcoming Fido.....jazz music on in the background.......Another day in the life of the notary.....
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Reply by SE/Florida on 1/20/07 9:32am
Msg #171813
Great story....I love it! Good tip on having flashlight in the car. One would think that people would have their outside lights on when expecting someone over. Not always the case! I live in a very rural area and most of my signings have something to do with dirt roads! I'll never forget the one where the house was situated such that I couldn't figure out where the front door would be and there were NO outside lights on whatsoever! After riding by a few times, I finally called the BO and he directed me on where to turn in (off of the dirt road) and he met me at the walkway with his flashlight (their outside lights were not working). Already a litted freaked out and beginning to wonder, as soon as I stopped the car and was about to open my car door, we look over and I'm parked right beside a field of billy goats and donkeys! It was hilarious!! Thankfully, I did take my mother and daughter along for the ride since they were in town visiting and this was one of those 6 p.m., signing at 8 calls. We had a good laugh, completed signing and managed to find our way back home! Yep, another day in the life! Be careful out there.
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Reply by LkArrowhd/CA on 1/20/07 10:33am
Msg #171821
Re:
I came here from FL in 1969-Pompano Beach, off Atlantic Blvd on the beach...lovely.
We havn't had cold temps like we are having this year in many years, I've only been in Lake Arrowhead 7 years and prior to that we were in the valleys below but even they are having cold temps. Over 1000 homeowners had broken pipes this past week, in fact if anyone would care to go to www.mountains.news.com the cover page will show a home where the pipes broke, flooded the decks and froze as one massive continuous icicle.......
We can have snowfall one day and sunshine the next ten in Lake Arrowhead and our ice is seldom hanging on for days and weeks but we are experiencing nationwide low temps this year so expect the unexpected. They actually have broken pipes in the valleys below where temps are most often much higher.
I accepted the work order because our roads are looking pretty done good but for roads that get very little sunshine, they can stay icy for sometime. I also hate to turn down some of our great ss when call and I actually didn't expect a problem......Oh well done, sealed and sent....and moving on.....
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