I saw a lady peering at us through the high gates of her
bungalow, as my daughter switched off the ignition and we started getting out
of the car. We had gone grocery shopping
and after driving around for more than twenty minutes we decided that we would go
quite further away and park though it meant lugging heavy bags back.
So, to come back to the bungalow lady, she came out and peremptorily declared... you can't park here. I thought for a moment it was really a No Parking zone, and looked around for the sign. But no, we had not parked in front of any gate, or hospital, or even blocking access to any parked vehicle or building. So I told her politely otherwise, but she became aggressive... We have our car coming in a while. We need to park here, she said. Hearing the commotion another member of the family joined in, and declared that they have two or three cars and they need parking space. On the road? By right? In a public space? They claimed my car was in their space, their property and in front of their boundary wall. One of them picked up their mobile and threatened to make a phone call. It would have been funny if I was not so irritated by then. I mean, here was an apparently decent and cultured family, owning a huge property in prime space, yet was fighting a street brawl for a car that had not yet come, reserving the space as one would by putting a handkerchief through the window of a third class compartment in the trains.
I could have just walked away without giving them a thought. Legally I was on the right side of law. But frankly I was scared. People who could come down to this level would stoop to even damaging my car if I left it there. So, we went hunting for a space to park again, and found a slot further ahead. The evening was lost, we shopped half-heartedly and came back.
So, to come back to the bungalow lady, she came out and peremptorily declared... you can't park here. I thought for a moment it was really a No Parking zone, and looked around for the sign. But no, we had not parked in front of any gate, or hospital, or even blocking access to any parked vehicle or building. So I told her politely otherwise, but she became aggressive... We have our car coming in a while. We need to park here, she said. Hearing the commotion another member of the family joined in, and declared that they have two or three cars and they need parking space. On the road? By right? In a public space? They claimed my car was in their space, their property and in front of their boundary wall. One of them picked up their mobile and threatened to make a phone call. It would have been funny if I was not so irritated by then. I mean, here was an apparently decent and cultured family, owning a huge property in prime space, yet was fighting a street brawl for a car that had not yet come, reserving the space as one would by putting a handkerchief through the window of a third class compartment in the trains.
I could have just walked away without giving them a thought. Legally I was on the right side of law. But frankly I was scared. People who could come down to this level would stoop to even damaging my car if I left it there. So, we went hunting for a space to park again, and found a slot further ahead. The evening was lost, we shopped half-heartedly and came back.
The people I related this to all said I should not have moved
away, that I had been in the right. Maybe. But then, I would have
wondered why we fight certain battles... Would it have proved a
point to them? When I said I had my right to park there as it was a
public road, they wanted to know on what basis did I have the right! Did they
want to see my ID proof as a citizen entitled to use public spaces? Was I going
to teach them something they already did not know?
It was a plain and simple power struggle. And who does not like to
win an argument? But I wanted parking
space, not a feel-good emotion of having won an argument.
But I am human after all; and I couldn't help but feel a sense of glee when, on our way back, we found the girl standing guard for the parking space! In my mind, I relegated her to be a watchman...! An hour later, when we passed by the same house again, the expected car still had not arrived. However, their gates were left wide open, presumably for someone to rush out on hearing the sound of any car attempting to park in "their slot". What a way to live!
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