back that thang up

As I arrived to class this morning, a little late as usual, I saw something that bothered me.

I always, ALWAYS parallel park on the side of the building, underneath the trees. There are (almost) always spaces here, and you don't have to have a sticker, AND it's perfectly legal with easy access to the Stone Center.

This morning, however, my attention was diverted to a Ford Focus. There is a nice long stretch of places to park, and Mr. or Ms. Focus was (I should only hope inadvertently) taking up about THREE of them.

I absolutely cannot stand it when someone feels the need to double park, park too close, too sideways, or not far enough in. If said Focus would have just pulled a little closer to the end of the line, or a little closer to the law abiding Malibu behind, another car could have easily fit in there!

But no. You pull around the side of the building, get excited because you see a normally great park, and...no, wait. There is just enough room so that you can't park there. It's sort of like when you are cruising the parking spaces at Wal-Mart, and you get that little flutter of excitement because you see a really great front park, and oh my gosh, why didn't the car in front of me pull in there? and this is just my luck and you put on your blinker because you want everyone to know that you are Lord or Lady of the Lot and that this is your space, and then - it's a teeny, tiny, sports car, pulled all the way to the line, sandwhiched between a Suburban and a Tahoe, fooling you into thinking there isn't really a car parked there. Damn!

Or it's kind of like the inevitable rule that once you give up and park in the back and decidem "Hey, I need the exercise anyway," you are almost taken out by a car leaving a front row park who can't get out of there faster. Honestly. I have had those moments where I wonder if I can still make it back to my car to pull it up closer (which is stupid), or if I a random passerby, I have been tempted to say, "You there - stand here and guard this spot whilst I pull the Cavvy around!" (Which is more stupid - but I have actually done it at the University of Alabama at the music hall...)

Anyway, I digress. Everyone have a great day and a fabulous Easter weekend.