0
0
0
I’m a traitor. A Benedict Arnold. A betrayer of decent society. I did something shameful. What I did was so low-down and dirty it may be talked about for generations to come.
Today’s good deed: SMILE AT A METER MAID
I know what you’re saying. “Screw those guys! Those guys can kiss various body parts of mine! They can go make love to themselves with a ball-peen hammer!!” I know. I get it. But I can’t help thinking … they’re people too. A ludicrous assumption, I know.
I would hate to have their jobs. They’ve GOT to be in the Top Ten list of people you’d least like to see, right up there with your dentist and your ex. I’d rather see my gynecologist than them, especially if I discover them standing in front of my car, which is where I saw the last one. Meter Maid, not gynecologist.
I parked on the street in the only place I could find after circling and circling the block. I had an audition. This spot was on top of a speed hump. I didn’t know if it was illegal to park on a speed hump but the street signs seemed to indicate there was free two hour parking. I took a chance.
My on-camera audition went well. My ‘husband’ and I said goodbye to our ‘daughter’ after dropping her off at college for the first time. I assured him not to worry. “She’ll be home to do laundry.” Yesterday I was single; today I had a kid in college.
As my new family and I laughed about how much acid the camera person clearly had done in his lifetime, we saw him. The Meter Maid. Actually, he was a ‘Parking Enforcement Officer.’ And he was already scribbling on his tablet.
I instinctively sprinted towards him.
“I was just leaving!!! I was just leaving!!!”
“Uh … okay.”
Turns out he was looking at the car in front of mine.
“Am I parked okay?”
“Yeah. I was just checking.”
This guy was cute, and not just because he didn’t give me or the other car a ticket. So I gave him a smile.
“Oh … okay,” I said. “You must take a lot of crap from people during the day.”
“Yeah. I do.”
“Well not from me. At least, not today, anyway.”
He laughed. I flirted. It was nice. I said,
“Well … have a good one.”
“You too.”
He smiled and walked away.
So there you have it. My shame’s out in the open. I’m not proud of it, but it happened. I can neither confirm nor deny that it will happen again.
All jokes aside, treating people with kindness and decency no matter what job they have shouldn’t be a good deed. It should be common place.
Hopefully I’ll feel the same way after I get my next parking ticket.
Photo (Flickr CC) by Seattle Municipal Archives
000
Holly Walker
Latest posts by Holly Walker (see all)
- Behind Closed Doors - October 9, 2014
- Shhhhhhhh! - October 8, 2014
- Look Who’s Talking! - October 7, 2014
- The Donor Party - October 6, 2014
- Food To Go - October 5, 2014