So, there you are casually minding your own business, strutting down Beaver Avenue listening to the groovy tunes of Mates of State conveniently stored in the I-Pod in your pocket, when a tow truck drives by with yet another victim.

Couldn't be your car.

You parked in the right lot. All of sudden the record in your head screeches to a stop. Your stomach drops and you realize your car was not parked this far down.

It's OK, you think. I just walked past it or I didn't see it.

You turn back casually to look again, trying not to look too freaked because God only knows every college student around for miles who saw that tow truck isn't secretly thinking, "Was it me? Please God don't let it be me!"

You turn to look at the other people around you. Secretly you are hoping to see someone else is wigging out about his or her car being towed.

They aren't. It's you, my friend -- or me in my case. I sit in my apartment building staring out at the parking lot below me and cannot help but feel completely anxious about my car.

I and the other 50 or so car owners in my parking lot pay nearly as much to park a car as to take two classes.

For this amount of money, not only should we be reassured that we will actually have a parking spot, but we should also go to bed feeling safe in knowing that our cars are free from hooks, chains and other torturous weapons of tow trucks.

May it be a known fact that our cars are not safe.

There are people who make a living from hunting our cars down and towing them away.

Whether you parked overnight on Beaver Avenue or pulled into Wendy's parking lot to grab dinner, we are all at risk to be towed.

What exactly were tow trucks invented for again?

Tow trucks were not created to put college students into debt. That is what college was created for. But in this town, it seems tow trucks were created for that sole purpose and they even come complete with gaudy airbrushed, excuse me adhesive peel and press, purple and gold stickers on the sides. Kinda like those cool Matchbox cars in the 80s.

Tow trucks were created to H-E-L-P, help people. For example, when you bust a tire literally falling into that pot hole on Pugh Street that goes down two centuries to the cobble stone laid in 1823 or get stuck in a ditch because you swerved to keep from hitting your neighbor's cat, Fluffy.

Tow trucks were not created to tow someone away who is paying more in tuition money than the tow truck driver will probably make in a year.

Do not get me wrong. Coming home at 1 a.m. from work to find someone has taken your parking spot really lights the fire under your driver's seat, but just chill for a minute and try not to burn a hole in your upholstery.

Help us all out and ask your neighbors this: "Excuse me, is that you or your guest's car in my spot?"

Or take another drive around the block.

Listening to your favorite song one more time is not going to hurt.

We have all parked someplace for five minutes to run a keg in an apartment building or pick up your girlfriend for a date so have some patience.

Why do tow truck men hunt for people to tow?

Ok, money -- that's obvious -- but I still have another idea.

Is it like hunting or fishing for you? Kinda like those bass fishermen with pimped out Evinrude motor boats?

You drive around in your flashy doublewide, six-wheeled, press-on graphics tow truck, chewing Skoal, looking for the next car to tow?

You can not possibly tell me that in the five minutes it took some starving student to run into McLanahans to grab a sandwich, the owner of the store called and told you to pick up that car?

Cause I know there is no way you have reaction time that fast to close Maxim, spit and put the truck into drive. Congratulations, that poor kid just spent $50 for a ham sandwich.

All in all, I have to say that aside from paying $200 and giving up my pints of Guinness for a hearty, tall Pabst, my tow experience was not all that frightening.

I met a nice man in line in front of me named Sully, who just happened to have a white Acura parked next to my white Honda. I got to spend one whole hour bonding with my brother while waiting for someone to open up the gates at midnight.

Granted, all I really wanted that night was to go to Wal-Mart and buy a metal ruler for $2.97 and finish my design project. My parting words on parking and towing are these: Four-ways!

Double check where you are parking. If someone is parked in your spot ... wooosaaa, ask your neighbors if it is their car.

Tow-truck drivers, hey, we all have to make a living. Turn to the article about Jenna Jameson and give the kid another five minutes.

And this Pabst will be to you, Mr. Tow Truck Man.

We're all in this together. Let's help each other out. Life doesn't need to be this hard.