Miracle in Berkeley

So today I went down for a meeting in Berkeley, and on the way back stopped at one of my favorite establishments, being the game store Eudemonia on University Ave in berkeley.

I got out of my car, put in the quarter I had for 12 minutes of parking, and went into the store to look for a particular game. While that wasn't available they had a sale table with some nice games for 30-40% off, and I decided to browse and see what might be worth picking up.

So I got a couple of extra quarters, went back to the car, and got another 24 minutes of parking. My little ticket said it will expire on 1:56PM.

I went back to the store, browsed, picked up some games, paid and left at what looked like 1:54PM (it was just across the street). I saw a parking maid car looping around the corner further down the street, but did not feel alarmed. Crossed the street and got to my car - and I had a ticket. My watch was just clicking over to 1:57PM. My AT&T time signal was still saying 1:56PM, but as I was staring at it incredulously, it switched over too.

Apparently the maid's time signal was 2 minutes ahead of mine, so I got that $40 ticket (essentially wiping out the savings from the purchase). Yes, I was pushing it, no doubt, but it still felt really wrong.

I was really upset about this, it felt extremely unfair, but Berkeley is... well... it's like the bay area's West Hollywood or Beverly Hills when it comes to parking tickets. Once you've gotten one, it's like the tax man, you ain't getting out of it.

I was fuming all the way to lunch with K, but she managed to calm me down enough to at least be able to breath again. Then she said "if it would make you feel better, for having taken action, why don't you go down there and complain?" it's what I was wanting to do but felt stupid.

I drove back to downtown Berkeley, found the parking enforcement building - no surprises, it was bigger than the courthouse next to it - and waited in line. Then my turn came. I went to the counter, and explained what happened. The lady there said I'd have to contest the ticket, and gave me the forms, but I held on and looked at her and said something along the lines of "let's be real, if I do that I won't get anywhere, and we both know it."

Something in her eyes shifted and she looked at me with something akin to pity. Then she said "would you like to talk to a supervisor?". I said sure, maybe they can help.

So she turns to the lady sitting next to her and asks her what she thinks. I was a bit shocked but managed to utter a few words but as I was doing that the supervisor was looking at the ticket and my parkings slips, and then she stopped me, looked at the clerk and said "it's just 2 minutes, dismiss the ticket".

I think it took me several seconds to find my voice again.

In that time she made sure to tell me that I should calibrate my watch to the meter next time I park. I was still dumbfounded as I realized how easy that solution would be.

But the best thing for me was not the dismissal of the ticket. What made me feel really good was that I managed to go through this entire conversation without raising my voice or getting upset, but instead just pleading my case, tenuous as it may be. If you've known me, you would know this was a huge personal win for me. I hope - I truly want - to learn from it.

And to Ms. Brooks of the Berkeley parking division, I want to extend my gratitude. Not just for saving me a $40 ticket that felt unfair, but more importantly, but teaching me a fantastic lesson in a way no other could match. My brain may have been rewired a little bit today to being more calm in these situations in the future. And that alone is worth far more than the $40.

So thank you, Ms. Brooks. What you did today will likely reverberate through the next 50 years of my life, and impact many, many others with whom I will come in contact with. Thank you.