Lots of trouble

Okay, I don't want to get off on a rant here, but why are people rude and inconsiderate when the opportunity to be graceful is so apparent?

The story begins last year, when someone drove into one of my co-workers' van in our work parking lot. Left a HUGE dent in the side. They also left a bit of their paint, though they didn't bother to leave a note or try to find out the van's owner. Through a bit of sleuthing, however, my pal was able to track down the culprit, who, when the police showed up at her door, claimed that she had indeed left a note - but the wind must have blown it away. Right.

Then, about two months ago, somebody - I will never know who, probably - hit my car and left without leaving so much as a "gee, sorry about that" note on the windshield. I know, it serves me right for not walking to work more often, and I was parked in a spot I knew was more likely to be backed into, and I DO drive a car that has a lot of, shall we say, "experience"; so it wasn't that big a deal. Just a little upsetting. My mechanic pounded out the dent without losing too much paint in the process, and the car still runs well, so no biggie, right?

Well, about two weeks ago, one of my co-workers backed into a car parked in our lot. Being the good person that she is, she left a note on the windshield. The recipient of the note proceeded to leave numerous phone messages at her place (even after they had spoken on the phone and my friend had explained that she had to be out of town for the weekend but would contact her insurance when she returned), and the tone of the calls was not pleasant. This continued after the weekend, even though the insurance companies were involved (the offer to settle the matter privately was rejected), and finally my friend had to refuse to take any more calls from her. The funny thing is, if that person hadn't parked illegally in our lot - they weren't a patient - it would never have happened.

So maybe that's why the person who ran into me never left me a note: maybe they'd been treated rudely when they tried to do the right thing, in the past; then again, maybe they were just rude and inconsiderate like these other two jerks.

The moral of this story is obvious: don't park in Dewey & Humphries parking lot.