Make Me Laugh Monday: The £50 Poop

Last Monday, we drove to Hereford to buy Boo some new trainers as his old sneakers were getting a bit tight.


Seeing as how we only had two stops to make, I fed a one-pound coin into the Pay meter, put the ticket into my car, and headed to the shops. One pound buys an hour of parking time in Hereford - that should have been sufficient, right?

(Famous last words.)



We found the trainers that Boo wanted and the shop had them in his size. (success!) They even had house slippers in a style he liked in his size as well. (Momma scores again!) As he was also in desperate need of a new pair of pajamas, and Pea needed new tights and undershirts, I tugged them over to Marks & Spencer.


Finding what we needed (and then some - Pea is a professional shopper), it was time to head back to the car - we were nearly out of time in the car park - when Boo said those four words I dread "Mom - I gotta poop".

FIFTEEN minutes and three occupant changes of the remaining bathroom stalls later, Boo finally emerges from his stall. I'm beginning to panic as I know we are close to the expiry of my parking stub displayed on my dashboard.

(My U.S. friends are all shrugging "what's the big deal" kind of shrugs; my UK friends are cringing, knowing what is coming.)



I dragged the kids back to the car. Literally. I'm sure there were people in Maylord Shopping Center dialing the police, thinking a child abduction was in progress...but it was futile.

There, under my windshield wiper, was a ticket.



A £50 ticket.



Yes, his poop just cost me £50*. Ouch.

(they take their parking fines seriously here.)


*Ok, so technically, it was only a £25 fine since I paid it right away, but seeing that initial amount is always a shocker.

And you thought kids were expensive. You have NO idea....