$12.00 for parking? That's cheap! At least around Boston...
At most garages here, there's a sign near the entrance that says "Lost Ticket Pays Max." You don't want to lose your ticket -- Max is a very scary guy.
Bad Parking Arm KarmaPosted: Aug 19, 08 6:52amYou may remember me telling you about an adventure I had with one of those mechanical parking lot arms during our last little storm here in Houston. This is a follow-up to that. Last week Harvey was in town and we agreed to meet down at the Medical Center to grab a bite to eat. This, of course, involved parking in one of those parking garages where I would have to pay about four bucks for a couple of hours of parking. No problem. I don’t mind paying for parking. When I got there the mechanical arm was up and I thought “Wow! Free parking!!” The machine wasn’t giving out tickets or anything so I drove right in, found a nice comfy spot and went to dinner with Harvey. Okay, It has taken me fifty years, but I think I have finally learned: There is no free parking. There is never free parking. Even if the arm is up and is beckoning you to drive on in…it doesn’t mean that you will get to park for free. What it means is: You are about to get screwed. I met with Harvey. We had a lovely time. He is probably the nicest person I have ever met and I enjoyed my evening never realizing that once our time together came to an end, I would be heading into battle with Security Guard Sarah, who didn’t know how to speak English. The only phrase she seemed to know was, “Lost ticket costs twelve dollars.” I hadn’t lost my ticket. I never got a ticket. “Lost ticket, twelve dollars.” What followed was not pretty. Fortunately, a very nice young man also in a security guard uniform winked at me at said, “I’ll take care of you.” He asked me what time I came in and asked if I was paying by credit card. I told him I was and explained all about the gate arm being open when I came in. He smiled and nodded and absorbed everything that I said. Then he led me to the ‘pay machine’ and told me to put my credit card in. I did. I got a receipt. It said, “LOST TICKET Total $ 12.00”. I talked to Harvey about it the next day. We (meaning HE) had a good laugh about it. Especially when he told me I could’ve parked for free at the building where we had eaten. So there’s no ‘free lunch’ and there’s no ‘free parking’ and if it seems ‘too good to be true’, it isn’t true. Are there any lessons that you had to learn the hard way?  158 Comments
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Posted: Aug 19, 08 7:13amPosted: Aug 19, 08 7:14am $12.00 for parking? That's cheap! At least around Boston... At most garages here, there's a sign near the entrance that says "Lost Ticket Pays Max." You don't want to lose your ticket -- Max is a very scary guy.  I know...but it's the principle!! Posted: Aug 19, 08 7:19amOh, Pru...not sure whether I admire the winking parking guard or just think he's another ratbastard. He has found the easiest way to accomplish his job with the least amount of fuss, tho. But still--you are right, it's the principle! I wonder what he would have done if you'd been a big, scary, angry guy... It sucks, babe. 
Truck468
Posted: Aug 19, 08 8:00amSo sad to hear, but reminds me of another story, but I am too lazy to write it all just now. Nice image of the Lost Ticket though. It took you 50 years to learn how to eat? I am missing something but maybe should reread it all. After all I am drinking Maxwell House which in my opinion is one step removed from paint thinner! Posted: Aug 19, 08 8:19amI know...but it's the principle!! And quite a bit of interest too apparently. Yup, unless you regularly pass Go and collect $200, there is no Free Parking. Pru, couldn't you have conveniently failed to mention that I was the source of all of your grief? Now I'll probably get so many Kicks in the Pants that I won't be able to sit down for a week. Posted: Aug 19, 08 8:27amAnd quite a bit of interest too apparently. Yup, unless you regularly pass Go and collect $200, there is no Free Parking. Pru, couldn't you have conveniently failed to mention that I was the source of all of your grief? Now I'll probably get so many Kicks in the Pants that I won't be able to sit down for a week. Harvey, it was well worth the grief. I guess I should have paid more attention to Monopoly. I just kept hoping that you had a "Get out of jail free" card...in case I got into it with the security guys. Truck, I'm drinking Folgers...same stuff, but the label is red instead of blue and no, I have not yet learned how to eat. I'm working on it. Posted: Aug 19, 08 8:36amOkay, It has taken me fifty years, but I think I have finally learned: There’s no ‘free lunch’ and there’s no ‘free parking’. I just kept hoping that you had a "Get out of jail free" card...in case I got into it with the security guys. And after (not quite) 50 years, it's time you learned, there's no "Get out of jail free" card either. | ADVERTISEMENT  |
