Free Parking

After attending a meeting at a new construction site for a luxury high-rise, residential tower for which I parked in a public garage and could receive a validated ticket for the bargain price of $5 for a three hours...I realized I left the ticket in my car. Which made the whole "validation" thing moot. I had no cash. I never carry cash with me when plastic works so much better and in the event that someone steals my purse, they'll feel bad that they've ripped off an impossibly poor person, and most likely will return said bag with a $20 bill as an apology.

I find an atm and insert my card. I grumble at the $2.00 "convenience fee" for using a bank other than my own. To make myself feel better, I break the twenty at the nearest Starbucks (Shaken Passion Fruit Tea sweetened with Splenda...it's Spring, I felt girly).

As I pull up to the security booth to pay, I have my $15 dollars ready to hand to the dude. Aparently seeing the hardhat on my passenger's seat, he asks if I attended the building's meeting. Telling him that I did, but didn't have a validated ticket, he said it was no problem.

"What's your name?" he asks, referring to a sheet.

"Min."

"Do you have a business card?" I hand one over.

"Great, thanks. You're all set."

"Umm...do you want the $5?"

"Naw, I couldn't charge a pretty little thing like you to park."

I stare at him, then ask, "Is my name on that clipboard you're holding?"

"Naw, ma'am. That was just my way of getting your number. Also, you have a great rack."

That last part I added, but the way he was staring at my cleavage, we'll just assume. All I could think was...I paid a $2 convenience fee for nothing.