Thursday, July 21, 2011

The Nerve!

Last night I had to go drive into the city for a work project. I had to unload a bunch of stuff from the truck and so I pulled into a valet lot (where I wasn't allowed to park), unloaded all the stuff, and carried it to the doorstep of the building where it needed to go, all the while wondering where the heck I was going to park my truck for the duration of the project since for some reason all of the metered spots were full even at 8 PM on a Wednesday. As I was standing there unloading stuff I saw my friend G getting out of her car, which she'd parked in a driveway across the street. I said, "Is it okay to leave your car there?" and she said, "Yeah, the attendant at the parking lot next door told me I could park there for $5." I said, "Sweet, then I'll move my truck over there to park, too!"
So I drove into the parking lot across the street, which was full, assuming that the lot attendant would direct me to the driveway where he'd just directed G. I also assumed he'd charge me $5. That's a reasonable assumption, right? Instead, our conversation went like this:
Parking Lot Attendant: You want parking?
Me: Yes please.
PLA: You can back into spot six.
["Spot six" was not so much a spot as a dirt patch in an alley with the number six spray-painted on the building wall above it. I dutifully backed into spot six, though, since my options were limited.]
PLA: That's ten dollars.
Me: Oh, I thought parking was five dollars.
PLA: Didn't you see the sign?
Me: I didn't see a sign. I just thought parking was five dollars because you just charged my friend five dollars to park.
PLA: [looks embarrassed] Oh...your friend?
Me: Yeah, my friend. She drives that blue car there. She said you just charged her five dollars. That's why I came over here to park.
PLA: That's because she is not parked in the lot.
Me: Okay, but I'm not really parked in the lot, either.
PLA: This is the lot.
Me: If you say so. So, can I park where she parked and pay five dollars instead of parking in the lot and paying ten dollars?
PLA: No, I was doing her a favor.
Me: But you won't do me a favor?...Is that what you're saying?
PLA: Parking is normally twenty dollars.
Me: Whatever.

I paid him the ten dollars. As I said, my options were limited and I was running late. Still, I can't believe he had the audacity to charge me ten bucks even though he had to admit to my face that he had done a favor for another stranger but wouldn't do the same for me. Jerk.

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