Blood Money

There are many lessons a freshman in college, who is 9 hours away from home, will learn.  Some sons or daughters will solicit advice from their parents and weigh options and consequences.  My 19 year old daughter does not fall into this category.  Heck, she doesn't even come close to teetering on the edge of respecting my years of experience.

Even though it was not our plan for Gabbie to take her car to school this year, her father and I relented and let her return with it after she came through Houston on her way back from spring break in Florida.  She's a good driver and with her roommate as co-pilot, we were not as worried about the long trip back to Fayetteville, AR.  Instead, our main concern was campus parking.  Specifically, would she actually visit the campus police station to purchase a parking sticker; would she park in the appropriate lot and how many parking tickets would she rack up in the 6 weeks left in the spring semester?

She left on a Sunday and by Tuesday we began to gather our answers. She called to ask for $36 to purchase a parking sticker for the remainder of the school year.  No problem. Glad to see you are being responsible. Since the closest green lot is only about 3 blocks from her dorm, it appeared all was well.  Until Tuesday evening:

Gabz apparently wasn't up for a late night stroll so she 

found an alternate spot in a parking garage:

This $15.00 penalty left Gabbie with just over $5.00 in her account, with 5 days left until
"payday".  Our agreement concerning her taking the car back to college was simple: 

We will not pay for parking tickets.  

Since she knew better than to ask for money.....

I suggested she get a part-time job instead. Certainly possible since she now 

has wheels and is only carrying 13 hours.  She mulled it over...maybe....and told 

me the next day she was still going to sell her blood, plasma to be specific, 

but needed proof of her social security number (her card is here, in Houston):

In just a bit I received this snapchat:

Ahhhh, very good Weedhopper!  You are learning valuable life lessons. 

You are also working awfully hard for a small amount of money, 

but you'll figure that out also.

A couple of hours later I received a second snapchat.

It will make a nice addition to the family scrapbook.

As will this one:

 I'm sure you are as anxious to know as I was....

So, Gab has a little pocket money to tide her over.  

And someone, somewhere will live to see another day 

because Gabbie Fontana took her car to college.