As the man in a pink curly wig, a lavender tutu and diaphanous angel wings skated along the streets of Miami's trendy Coconut Grove area, a woman sitting at a table asked him if he was a fairy of some sort.
"Yes," he replied, "I'm the parking meter fairy."
Thank you," said a man at the same table, before giving the fairy a cigarette in appreciation for his kindness.
The fairy chatted briefly with them while taking a few puffs. Then he was off on his appointed rounds -- putting quarters in parking meters about to expire. As he was leaving, the man at the table said, "Long live the meter fairy."
Hired to skate around the Grove adding 15 minutes to a visitor's time at the curb, Xavier Cortes is a popular figure. He provides relief from the pesky parking tickets that threatened to discourage patrons from returning to restaurants and shops.
His job was created when a business owner in Coconut Grove grew tired of getting parking tickets for missing the meter by a minute or two. Cynthia Bettner, publisher of Best Tourist Publications Inc., advertised in the Miami New Times for a "colorful one-of-a-kind extrovert who looks good in tulle."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/miami/sfl-dfairy15jul15,0,5352343.story?coll=sfla-news-miami
"Yes," he replied, "I'm the parking meter fairy."
Thank you," said a man at the same table, before giving the fairy a cigarette in appreciation for his kindness.
The fairy chatted briefly with them while taking a few puffs. Then he was off on his appointed rounds -- putting quarters in parking meters about to expire. As he was leaving, the man at the table said, "Long live the meter fairy."
Hired to skate around the Grove adding 15 minutes to a visitor's time at the curb, Xavier Cortes is a popular figure. He provides relief from the pesky parking tickets that threatened to discourage patrons from returning to restaurants and shops.
His job was created when a business owner in Coconut Grove grew tired of getting parking tickets for missing the meter by a minute or two. Cynthia Bettner, publisher of Best Tourist Publications Inc., advertised in the Miami New Times for a "colorful one-of-a-kind extrovert who looks good in tulle."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/miami/sfl-dfairy15jul15,0,5352343.story?coll=sfla-news-miami
