July 5, 2025
I've been working on an article about China’s fourth-generation universities, but despite days of effort, I haven’t made much progress. Other writing projects have also been postponed.
Then something happened today—something small, perhaps, but truly meaningful to me. I want to write it down before the memory fades.
We’ve been staying at my son’s place since July 3rd. Early this morning, my daughter came over and the three of us went for a walk along the Brooklyn waterfront. Afterward, we wandered east in search of breakfast. That’s when we noticed the empty streets and a line of NO PARKING signs.
NO PARKING
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular
Thurs., July 3, 2025, 8:00 PM through July 5, 2025, 1:00 AM
Violators will be towed.
New York Police Department
We had parked our car around 5:30 PM on July 3rd, not seeing any signs at the time. If the no-parking rule went into effect at 8:00 PM, that gave less than three hours' notice—far short of the 24-hour minimum we thought was required. We assumed Joralemon Street wouldn’t be part of the restricted area.
Still uneasy, we rushed over to check. When we arrived, our car was gone.
We stood there, stunned. Speechless. Our minds immediately raced to the worst: the car had been towed, we’d have to navigate a maze of bureaucracy, pay a heavy fine… What a way to ruin a wonderful weekend!
Before I could even finish a thought, my daughter had already pulled out her phone, looked up the relevant number, and made the call. Within minutes, she got through to someone, found out exactly where the car was, and confirmed that there would be no fine—since it had been legally parked. Unbelievable fast turn of event!
Just like that, what could’ve been a full-day ordeal was resolved in ten minutes. A happy ending, thanks entirely to her quick thinking and problem-solving ability.
It reminded me of a friend of mine back in Kansas. She had just turned 65 and was trying to apply for Medicare Part A. Her English isn't strong, and she struggled to understand the process. She called her daughter—the only person she could turn to—left messages asking for help, but never heard back. Eventually, she called me to help with the application.
The contrast stayed with me.
I feel so blessed to have a daughter who not only shows up but steps up—especially in moments like this.