Meter Beater
Dear Maribeth,
As a college student low on funds, and a person who thinks with logic and common sense in mind, I ponder as to why the city of Providence has 2 hour parking with classes scheduled for 2 hour blocks. One must arrive early to be properly prepared for class and with meters only taking 2 hours worth of credits, he/she can only hope their teachers let class out early to beat the parking meter mate. Is the $15 a shot taken from young scholars worth it? Can’t the city make money off other means rather than students acquiring thousands of dollars in debt during their short stay in Providence?
Signed,
Free Parking at Fatbelly’s Pub
Dear FPF,
Bravo to logic and common sense! You are not alone in wondering why the city doesn’t seem to always keep those thinking caps on. Your cards are the 9 of Wands, The Magician and The Empress. Each of the figures on these cards has one arm up higher than the other. Perhaps it is time to raise your hand. Take action to bring this issue to the attention of the proper authorities.
The 9 of Wands shows that you are indeed a struggling student. The last thing you need to be worried about in addition to exams, assignments and keeping up with your packed schedule is hurrying to avoid the dreaded ticket. On a bad day, it could put you over the edge and ruin your day. And by making it impossible to meet that deadline, that added frustration could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. No one likes feeling disgruntled, and that is how this poor guy looks.
Now the Magician is a guy who is taking matters into his own hands. He is a powerful being who has everything he needs to be successful on his table. His red cloak indicates the passion he feels about things. His will enables him to apply that energy toward positive outcomes by doing something about it. You are not a whiner or victim, you have the power to make it different. It is time to bring about change.
The Empress is a nurturing type of person, some one who wants to take care of her people. Is there someone at school that you can talk to who has the best interest of the students in mind? Someone who may be able to rectify the situation to make it at least workable? It seems a compromise is in order. Maybe an inexpensive student parking pass or upgraded meters that have longer time allotments could work. The issue is between the school and the city, but I agree with you, the students shouldn’t have to pay for the inadequacies of the system.
These cards tell me you should not take this issue lying down. Create a petition and foster change by making a stink. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, you know. You have more ability to affect this than you might think. Unless someone instigates improvement, it will continue to cost you money. As long as the city is making money, they have no reason to change their system. The Empress says it’s up to you to take care of yourself.