Love In The Parking Lot

    To the remarkable individual driving this Soccer-Tank,

    I wanted to take a sincere and thoughtful moment to thank you for parking this behemoth on top of my tiny beat up old Civic, repeatedly, with an ever-encroaching shift, closer to my driver’s side door, day after day. 

    Thank you. From the bottom of my bruised shins, and the top of my sore clavicle.

    The physical gymnastics required to climb into my car keep me in shape. You could hardly imagine. Dealing with the short, small bursts of childish anger it causes helps me keep my dharma practice in good shape as well. 

    I am truly blessed. From the lump on my forehead, to the bloodstain through my button up at my left elbow.

    I imagine I could park elsewhere, but see - there you go - I am so stubborn and rude, (I’ve really had to reassess myself here) the thought enters my mind and – poof – I think, (occasionally aloud as I scrape myself across the wedge of open door) “Well! Why should I give up my spot so this so-and-so can just park on top of someone else! These lousy this-and-that’s shouldn’t park on top of my car! Let them park somewhere else! Gee Whiz, I am so upset!

    See. That’s the kind awful anger issue I need to work through and that you present for me. And bless you and me, I get it at the parking lot! When I get home from work. After a long day. Isn’t that Marvelous? I think so. I didn’t think so at first. But now, I’m a changed man.

     So, I say, thank you. 

    Thanks for giving me the opportunity to let go.

    By the way, it’s a beautiful giant tank of a truck of a SUV. I’m jealous to boot. So nice.

    I love the color. It is my favorite new car color. It is the color of the future. 

    I have to figure that all this bad mojo pushing through me each afternoon must certainly have to be on me – because I can only imagine that you are truly wonderful person to have such a brilliant, giant, lovely toy the color of the future! And clearly you are capable of driving it with incredible finesse! To get so close to my driver’s side door and not hit it – just speechless over here in Beat Up Old-Civic land. It’s nearly miraculous. I bet you have side sensors – gosh. 

    Speechless indeed.

    A lesser person would not even try. A lesser person might think of putting their giant soccer-tank-truck-miracle-SUV in a spot that maybe had a bit more room. But not you. Nope. 

    No sir. 

    And good for you. Because you are a superstar. Super. Star – it’s worth two words.

    In so many ways.

    You deserve every inch you can get. Who am I to complain about your inch-getting?

    See, a better person than myself might just write a silly little note and say, “excuse me, please, could you park a few inches further to the left? Thanks.”

    But just look at me – making a spectacle, a big stink… What a maroon. 

    So ashamed. And yet…. Here I am. More meditation required I suppose.

    Well, this has been a pleasure. Feel free to sideswipe me, key my car, bust a windshield, write a nasty letter, or call someone connected and report me for the louse that I am for complaining to a champ like you. Or just be your beautiful wonderful self and keep on parking on top of me.

    With thanks and sincerity for allowing me to work on my lousy self,

    Your neighbor, in the ugly blue Honda Civic on the right.