Yesterday, after a really hectic day at work, I went back to my apartment with the idea of just going right to bed. However, when I went to take my contacts out I discovered I had no contact solution. This meant, to my great annoyance, a trip to Target to get some.

When I got back from Target, it was dark and cold and the melt-off that had happened earlier in the day meant everything was coated with a slick of ice. I remember thinking that I was very glad I could just pull in behind where I lived and park and…

…some dinky white Toyota Camry was parked in my spot.

No. Friggin’. Way.

Now, during the day, the area I live in is packed with cars. Parking on the street is a challenge, lots are full and plastered with warning signs about who can and cannot park there, and, in general, I pity anyone looking for parking. I can understand someone sneaking into an assigned spot during the day hoping the person is away at work and that they won’t get caught.

During the night, however, there is NO ONE on the streets and there was no reason to park in an obviously private lot other than laziness and not wanting to park on the street and walk a short way.

My first reaction was resignation and one of thinking that I’d just have to park on the alley side of the street and walk up. Or, I could go somewhere else and kill time and hope this person left, since I was assuming it was a friend of a resident in one of the buildings that have apartments (mine, or the one next to it).

But no.

I’m working to pay for the apartment, part of which covers a designated parking spot. There’s no way I’m not going to park there just so some lazy college student could steal a few hours of time hoping the apartment resident either would not come back or would not go medieval on them.

I called my landlord because I wasn’t sure which towing service he used. He promptly called a towing service AND came out to the lot himself. It wasn’t long at all before that car was being pulled out of the parking spot and I was back where I belonged.

I felt bad. It’s an expensive mistake for anyone, especially a college student. But — the point is — it was their stupid mistake.

As the tow truck was turning about the alley and preparing to haul the car away, some chick came running out of the next building waving her arms. I later saw her drive off with her car, but not before she paid a few bucks and probably had a stern lecture from my landlord.

I gotta hand it to my landlord: he had that parking area cleared immediately after the blizzard, before even the street crews were doing much and way, way before the huge apartment building behind (with the fancy garages); and he took care of this immediately. I thanked him, since I know that’s not the experience everyone has in a renting experience.

I’m sure having a car towed away won’t make me friends with whoever it was that parked in my spot, nor with her friends in the neighboring building, but I don’t feel I did anything wrong. It’s an assigned spot. The building faces the street, which was devoid of cars. It’s only a short walk around the building to the back entrance. There was no reason for her to be so stupid beyond laziness.

The last time I ticked off some college students for parking issues (and alcohol) was back when I was in college. I finally called the cops on them. They returned the favor by leaving their lit cigarettes on the roof of my soft-top convertible.

People.

Park in my spot? I’ll have you towed. I’m too old for this crap; I’ve already experienced the perpetual parking hassles from college back when I was in college; I’ve paid my dues. Right now I just want my parking spot and to get inside and go to bed.

Don’t get in the way of that plan.