Pixar artist Ronnie Del Carmen's car was stolen in Oakland. His story and photos of the tedious and costly ordeal involved in having to get it back from the police make me happy that the two cars I've had stolen in my life were never found.
"There's your car." The Accord seemed to be in good shape from the outside. I peer in and I see that they tore out the wires under the steering column and dug out the ignition, seeming like the hotwire jobs one sees in movies. We attached the battery and the electrical system kicked in. The car still won't turn over. "You're not going to be able to fix that here." Great. Now I'm almost out of time. I have to run out of here without the car.
"I have a friend who can help," this man informs me. Time's up, I take this option and have the car towed to this guy's friend's place. $40 to move the car and $250 to fix the ignition and broken park lights–make it run. Made a decision under stress about matters I know little about. More stress. I had to leave.
While at the ceremony I start to worry if I didn't just open myself up yet another scam. Likely, eh? But I caught a break it seems that this man who said he'd take care of it seems to actually be doing the right thing. I ask him about the cars inside that lot where my car was and were they all stolen cars. "Most of them."
(thanks, John Frost!)
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