Parking Tickets

We've all heard those stories of selflessness, and sacrifice. Like the guy who sawed his kitchen table in half. (If you don't know what I'm talking about read the story here. Scroll down and look for "Two-of-a-Kind Table.") Every time I hear one of those stories I wonder if I'm the sort of person that would make such a sacrifice. I usually conclude that I am not. After this morning I don't think I need to wonder anymore, now I know for certain that I am not.

When I woke up this morning I didn't get out of bed, but rather continued to lay there playing with my phone. I was in the middle of composing a text message to someone when I heard the street sweeper go past our house. I've only been the victim of an HB parking ticket on one occasion, but I have observed before that the ticketer usually drives a block or so behind the street sweeper, so there is a small window of opportunity to move your car before the ticket is issued. Keeping that in mind I jumped out of bed, grabbed my car keys and went tearing outside of the house in my pj's and socks, hoping to beat the ticketer to my car. I had parked directly in front of our house, and when I came flying out the front door looking like a crazy person, the ticket person was right there writing up a ticket for the car directly behind mine.

I was halfway to my car door before I noticed that the car parked in front of mine belongs to my roommate. I thought that she was already at work. I didn't have time to go back in to tell her to move her car, and still save myself from being ticketed. Maybe this makes me a bad person, but I moved my car, and let her get the ticket. I rationalized this by telling myself that it's really her responsibility to avoid a parking ticket, not mine. Which is techincally true, but I was sitting on the couch still feel kind of guilty for not doing anything to spare her the ticket, when she came downstairs to say goodbye and tell me to have a good day on her way out the door. I've decided that it's pretty clear that I am not the kind of person who would saw my kitchen table in half.