Welcome to Chevy Nation

This is the Chevy Cobalt. It is not only a car, but also doubles as a patience tester.

Nico's friend came into town, and had this for a rental car. Its unfair to knock a rental car, because hello-that's why they are rental cars to begin with. But this one was extra special. Extra special as in the-key-won't-come-out-of-the-ignition special.
It was stuck at In-n-Out Burger.

A: Oh shit-the key's stuck
Nico: What???
A: The key won't come out of the ignition
Me: (hee hee)

A: (turns car back on)
(reverses car)
(re-parks car)
(attempts to take key out)
A: It's stuck!
Nico: (reaches over to turn the key)
Oh my god-you're right-it won't come out!
Me: (laying across the back seat dying)

8 rounds of turning the car on and off...
7 reversals and parking in THE SAME SPOT
6 rounds of cursing later...

The key miraculously came out!!

Here's a list of the things we did try to get the key out

1) turned the car off with the A/C off
2) turned the car off with the A/C on
3) turned the car off with the radio on
4) turned the car off with the radio on
5) turned the car off with foot on brake pedal
6) turned the car off with foot off brake pedal
7) turned the car off with handbrake off
8) turned the car off with handbrake on


Next next stop was Griffith Observatory. It was fabulous. It was gorgeous. It was a freaking surprise hike. Cars are not allowed to drive up during the day. People are not allowed to hike up at night. Guess when we showed up. It wouldn't have been so bad if I wasn't in jeans. If I had my sunglasses on. If I was sporting real sneakers and not Chucks. The view was gorgeous. The view of the smog that is...

Nevertheless it was an awesome workout. I think I'm going to hike up to the Observatory every weekend. I think I'm insane. But, no joke, its a great workout. Imagine my surprise when I woke up Monday morning and didn't have buns of steel.

Back at our apartment came another round of 'the key is stuck! the key is stuck!'
This time it was street parking. So...after...

4 rounds of turning the car on and off
5 rounds of reversing and pulling back into the same spot
5 rounds of cursing
2 fake outs (people thought we were leaving only to watch us lurch back and forth)

...the key was still stuck. The woman whose house we parked in front of was eying us suspiciously (but wouldn't you?). So what did we do? Drove around the block and re-parked at the same spot. The key came out. Good thing the neighbor didn't. I'm not sure exactly how we were going to explain our car problems. It was a riot though. Its been too long since I've laughed so much. All I was doing was laughing. Oh wait-I had one idea; drape a jacket over the steering column and hope nobody looks in thinking, 'I wonder if that jacket is there because the key is stuck...'