Eighty-four. The number holds great significance for me.

BOWMAN

Is it the age I’ll retire? Not likely.

The number of cats I’ll have one day? Maybe.

The number of times I will hold my breath while anxiously snaking up and down the Hull Street Deck, hoping desperately to make it in or out alive? Yeah, that’s it.

My fellow deck parkers have no regard for my twice-daily — four on Thursdays — panic attacks as they careen around corners, almost taking the front-end off my beloved Volvo, Eileen — which I had way before Edward Cullen was a flicker in Stephenie Meyer’s mind.

They speed despite the “Caution: Two-Way Traffic” signs and give not so much as an apologetic wave or even a second glance for almost T-boning me as they back out of their parking spots without bothering to look both ways.

Of course, it’s hard to see both ways when a behemoth of a truck is parked beside you, sticking out a good two feet past where any regular car would.

Parking in the deck makes me so nervous that I occasionally pass up open spaces for one that has a little more elbow room.

Efficient? No. But I’m willing to trade efficiency for peace of mind.

I’m not asking for the moon. I’m just pleading for everyone who parks in the decks to be a little more considerate, even careful. The deck is dangerous enough without reckless driving.

Imagine the horror of an accident in the deck. If you think it cuts into your precious time to stop and let someone back out safely, think how long you would be waiting if a tow truck had to drag a crumpled car down six levels of sharp turns.

Let’s face it: after you get out of the deck, you’re going to be stuck for ages trying to turn onto Baxter Street anyway.

So why not build up some good driving karma? Let someone out today, get a really awesome space tomorrow.

In the meantime, the Volvo driver turning on her blinker before going around a corner or passing open space after open space is probably me.

Don’t be mad. Be glad I’m parking far away from you.

— Paige Bowman is a senior from Duluth majoring in magazines and film studies