ABC, Talking About 123

I want to memorize the police letters alphabet. Just to be cool. My friend Katie, who was in LA for 13 hours today and whose hair I cut in my hallway this evening, had to memorize all of English's prepositions in elementary school and can still rattle them off. Me, I can do Frost's "Stopping by Woods On A Snowy Evening". Thanks Mr. Meikle!

When I sold tickets for BC Ferries, I used to have to call the tower to process dangerous goods paperwork and that invovled telling them license plate numbers over the intercom. I used to make up my own words for the letters, much to the amusement of the folks in the tower. "S as in.... syzygy", etc. The day a truck came through with the license plate "0069 BJ" my pause at trying to think of words other than the ones that automatically spring to mind inspired me to look into the official alphabet.

Once while driving with my mom, she noted the car's plate number in front of us was "007 BRF". She said, "License to ill!" and it was one of those moments when you are so proud that this is the person who gave birth to you.

I love looking at license plates. It's especially interesting in LA. Lately, I have noticed a lot other people looking at plates too. I was pulled up at the curb in the fashion district a few weeks ago and a man asked me if I was from Columbia, which was awesome. I see people checking out my bumper while I'm waiting for them to cross the street. I hope they, too, are wondering if I came from Columbia.