I’m not really sure what to call the parking meter people … other than, parking meter people.

That’s clear enough, right? You totally got me, didn’t you?

Or should I opt for something like, “official”, or “enforcer”, or “a-holes” — that’s TC, not me.

Parking tickets are nothing new to me. Yet another advantage to growing up five minutes from D.C. I never have parked at a meter I could understand in the District of Columbia. So, yeah, it was always just easier to stay parked when I actually found a spot and pay the $30 fine.

L.A. – again, parking tickets were a common occurrence, despite reading every GD sign posted and being positive I wasn’t violating any moving or non moving motor vehicle law.

So it came as no surprise, as I was reaching the end of a meeting, that the question of feeding the parking meters came up.

Say what? I was actually supposed to put money in that meter?

I have no earthly idea where my brain was, but for some reason I just assumed {GD you Four Agreements – never make assumptions} that if I was parking in the lot, I was naturally exempt from having to worry about a parking meter.

Plus. This isn’t the big city, folks. I should probably take parking meters around the greater Cincinnati area more seriously, but I don’t.

I was, however, anxious to get out to my car and quickly hauled to make sure I didn’t have a ticket. Utterly relieved, I stood to talk to my super cool new friend, which really didn’t seem all that long, when I looked up and was getting written a ticket.

WTF.

Haul back out to the parking out. Heart pounding. Trying to figure out which tactic to use — jerky or kind? I can’t help it — I’ve had so many bad parking meter experiences that rang all too true and familiar.

It was in L.A. that I stopped counting the number of times I’d come out to my car just as a ticket was being written, to never be given a break. That always struck me as extremely not nice and unfair.

And I always had revenge visions of writing their ass about 20 tickets, ignoring their pleas to overlook just this one.

Well, now that I’ve matured and grown oh so wise, jerky just isn’t me. Besides, I figure I can always start nice and end jerky, but jerky to nice is a damn hard turnaround.

I started my kindly {as possible} parking objections … I didn’t know, I’m so sorry … after a a few of these, the parking meter lady turned to me and laughed.

Let me assure you — laughter from parking meter peeps is one of the most terrifying things. Ever. I’ve yet to be in a situation where that’s actually a good sign .

But I forget. I’m in the heartland of America now. The lovely Midwest. So parking meter lady turned, looked up at me, her head titled to the side and said, honey, don’t you worry, I’m not going to write you this ticket. I was just waiting, giving you some time, hoping you’d come out.

She must have taken my initial silence as me being English language challenged, because she repeated herself, adding, this is not something to get stressed about. You go enjoy your afternoon and don’t even worry about it.

Holy hell. I still can’t believe my luck with this woman. So they do exist! Parking people who don’t enjoy writing tickets, who want to give people a break.

If that just didn’t renew my entire faith in every single one of you Parking Peeps! As well as making me understand, that your job must be hard. It can’t be fun to write tickets all day to people, who probably then get pissed off and yell at you. You know … like I used to do … back in the day.

I forget at times … we are all in this together, even with Les Officiels de Parking. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all let each other off the hook a little more, too?

And we could recognize, just a little bit more fully, the things that matter and the things that don’t? She was right — what matters about a stupid parking meter ticket? So why can that get us all bent out of shape?

Yet another teacher teaching me what I needed, my cheery parking meter master … enjoy, slow down. Don’t get worked up about the little things. I know she will be in my thoughts at every parking meter I’m at from now on … amazing the lasting effect we can have on one another.