My son, bless his heart, is truly one of a kind. The 4th of July turned into quite the adventure for him and his friends. They decided to head to Newport, drawn by all the buzz on TikTok about a big party. Yes, I asked and that’s why they went. Because TikTok told them so. Everyone was talking about where to park, and my son, ever the lucky one, found the most insane parking spot imaginable.
The Unicorn Parking Spot
“Everyone thought it was illegal to park there,” he told me, “but there was no sign! I checked!” Apparently, in Newport, where cars usually zoom by in two directions with stores in between, there’s this tiny parking lot with about ten spaces. Every single one was full, except for this magical spot right next to a “customers only” sign (for a closed store, no less!). He could practically drive straight into it from the left lane. “I didn’t even see it at first,” he admitted, “I was about to leave, thinking there was no parking.” But then, like a mirage, there it was. No ticket, no tow – just pure, unadulterated parking luck! It was like something out of a video game, he said, “like GTA!”
I don’t think he’s ever played GTA, to be clear.
Fireworks and Friendly Faces
Despite the parking miracle, the scene in Newport was a bit wild. “Why did you even go there?” I asked, knowing he’s underage. He just wanted to walk around, hit the beach for a bit, and people-watch. And boy, were there people! Someone even set off a firework right in the middle of a crowded courtyard near Newport Pier. “Everyone started sprinting away!” he recounted, wide-eyed. It’s a scary thought, especially with the tragic news of an eight-year-old dying from homemade fireworks in Buena Park that night. Soon after, the police swarmed the area, and my son and his friends decided it was time to head back to the car.
But even with the chaos, they found some bright spots. “Most of the people were nice,” he said, “We were talking to random people, and some were even playing music in their cars and waving at us.” It sounds like they had a blast, especially with him as the designated driver. “Yes,” I told him, “of course they had fun! You were the designated driver and not drinking!” He even admitted, “I mean, it probably would have been more fun if I was drunk too,” but quickly added, “it was still fun!” He found it amusing to watch his friends, with C getting “really, really scared of everything” and K, on the other hand, “loving life” and exclaiming, “Life is so beautiful!”
Ahh, I love how he gets to experience drunk friends.
The Uber Odyssey
But the real story is the “old” woman he helped. Old being… “about 21”. (Le sigh.) Her phone was dead, and her friends had ditched her. My son, being the kind soul he is, called her an Uber. “I knew there was a decent chance I wouldn’t be getting that money back,” he confessed, because it was surge pricing on the 4th of July. The fare? A whopping $120! “I was kind of flabbergasted,” he said. “I didn’t know how far away she lived!” But, true to her word, she paid him back the next day. “I’m shocked she paid you back!” I told him. “Me too!” he replied. She was very grateful, texting him, “Thank you guys so much! Sorry if I was bothering you too much, I feel bad.” What a good person!
It just goes to show you, my son has a heart of gold. He’s always there to help, no matter the situation, and sometimes, those good deeds come with a little bit of unexpected humor and a whole lot of crazy 4th of July stories!
There was another giggle though… “Did you tip the Uber driver?” I asked. He thought he did but once he logged in, it prompted him.
Always have to tip the Uber driver!
Yes, I paid him back for the tip.
It’s called GG Karma and it’s real.
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