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Background: I work at a marine facility, the type where marine science happens, not the military kind where Marines frolic. We are in the back bay of a large industrial port, and vessels from many other scientific institutions come in and out of our little facility.
Our parking lot holds 16 cars max, we only have room for our own staff and sometimes a couple spaces for visiting scientists/instructors or VIPS. We certainly do not provide overnight parking for non staff (overnight parking has to leave keys with us). Everyone parks outside on the street -the port Police and the Sheriffs are right next door, the Coast Guard is at the end of the road, the street parking here is very safe, despite looking a bit dystopian. Sometimes you might have to walk a couple of minutes, but it’s really and truly no big deal.
Our docks are very old and very industrial, with cleats and other bits of metal sticking out. So we require people to wear close-toed shoes. Because any injuries we have had on the docks have been idiots stubbing their toes on bits of metal, and then they try to make it our fault.
Any and all activities that come through here are told, in writing, that close-toed shoes are required and that the facility does not provide parking – but that street parking is available.
One of our sister science centers is having a “Large University friends and family weekend” over on the island that is 22 miles away. The vessel is overbooked and they even have people on the waiting list.
/Background
So it’s bright and early 0730 on a Friday morning. More than the usual number of people are milling about; most of them have small children. The boat to take them to the island is down the way getting fuel so we just tell them where the boat will be docking and where the restrooms are.
I notice that there are a few cars in the parking lot that should not be there, so I head on down to the dock to see who has misunderstood about parking. On the dock I notice a younger man and his two sons are wearing flip-flops or Teva-type sandals, and I inform them about the need for close-toed shoes on the dock. I then point to the sign on the gangway that they passed by that says just that. The grandfather of the bunch scoffs and rolls his eyes at me.
The younger man and his wife get a little snotty, and tell me “well nobody said anything about that”. But then his wife says that she has their shoes in their bag (which means she had them ready and did know about it, but whatever) so I thank them and go to address the milling crowd.
Cast of characters:
me (yup)
CEM = Crazy Entitled Man
CEW Crazy Entitled Man’s Wife
IC - Island Coordinator for this whole weekend shebang
(my thoughts in italics)
Me: Does anyone have a car parked in the lot? If so you will have to move it to the street, we do not provide overnight parking inside the lot
CEM: Are you !@#%$#% kidding me! There’s no Goddamn parking anywhere!!
Me: (oh look he’s the grandfather of the shoe fighter family) If you head down the street to your left there should be parking just round the bend on the right – I checked myself and it’s only a 2 minute walk. The boat isn’t due for another 30 minutes so you have plenty of time. The other people on the boat have all found parking so I know there is some available.
CEM: <yelling> arrglebargle QW%$#%@#$%#$ <wanders off to move his car>
I do another check of the lot and there is one more car that shouldn’t be there. Just as I’m about to head back to the dock a woman approaches me. Turns out she is CEM’s wife! And that’s HER car! They brought two cars!
CEW: This is ridiculous! I was TOLD that I would be provided parking! Safe parking INSIDE the lot!
Me: Are you the group leader for this group by any chance? Or an instructor? (Sometimes we provide parking for visiting scientists/ instructors or VIPS like that)
CEW: <scoffs> NO! But I was PROMISED Parking!
Me: Well, let me just call the island and see what’s going on – do you remember who promised you parking?
CEW: <agitated> I CANT BELIEVE THIS! I was PROMISED parking INSIDE! AND YOU ALREADY MADE MY HUSBAND MOVE!! <wanders off out the parking lot as I make the call, still yelling>
So I call the island and get through to the coordinator
Me: hey - did you promise anyone parking this weekend?
IC: No – we never promise parking unless we clear it with you guys first.
Me: huh strange, I have this family who swear they were promised parking and also told me that nobody informed them about the close-toed shoe requirement.
IC: No way, that was on the packet that was sent to every family. That they need to park on the street, that the street parking is perfectly safe, and that they need to wear close-toed shoes.
So now armed with the true story I go looking for CEW. I notice her darling husband heading for the parking lot.
Me: Sir? Sir? (awesome he’s walking away from me and doing that “go away” hand gesture at me behind his back)
Me: <yelling> SIR! Is that your car?
CEM: YOU GO AWAY! I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU!! I had to park MILES away (it’s been all of 10 minutes since he went to park, parked, and walked back) and YOU JUST KEEP AWAY FROM ME!!
CEW: WE PAID $3000 DOLLARS FOR THIS TRIP and you won’t provide parking!?! Arglebarglebargle (holy crap where did she come from?)
CEM: We paid $5000 for this trip arglebarglebargle
CEW: <yelling at husband> No *I* paid $3000 for this trip but I should just CANCEL (hmm they have 6 people and will be on the island for 4 days, with food, accommodation, activities & transport? That’s not a bad deal)
CEM: <suddenly calmer> Just give me the keys and I’ll move the car, the kids are really looking forward to this weekend!
Me: Let me just call the island again (speed dials CI) Hi! CI! There’s a couple here who seem a bit upset could you please speak to them? <passes the phone to CEW>
CEW: < reiterates all of her previous yelling again at poor CI, who does NOT agree that she had promised CEW parking > Well that’s FINE! We will just CANCEL and you can reimburse me! Here! Talk to my husband! <Passes my phone to CEM>
CEM to CI: <walking away from me because he doesn't want to be near me, yet he has my phone, so I follow along> I CAN’T BELIEVE ALL THE PROBLEMS! AND your people here with nothing better to do than nag us about our shoes and where to park!! Arglebarglebargle (heres where I start laughing at all of this)
Me: Sir? May I please have my phone back? (yes I’m so unhelpful that I even let you use my phone to try to sort this out….)
So obviously the woman has been caught in her lie. She was not promised parking, she was simply told that the parking on the street would be safe.
Me to CI: (yay I got my phone back from the crazy people) ok so what would you like me to do? I mean I could give one of them my spot…
CI: Well it’s up to you, if they cancel we will lose the $3000, but they will be there till Monday night, …
(If you’re making that much money why didn't you book some VIP parking with us? And I’m certainly not going to go kiss any butts right about now)
Me: <looking at Calendar> oh that won’t work; we have the harbor department in this weekend and need all our spaces
CI: Ok well sorry for all the bother, nothing we can do, they were informed.
Me: Yeah I think they are just used to getting their way. Besides your boat was overbooked - they might have been bumped to the <ferry that costs a lot of money> anyways.
So I watch CEW storm down the gangway and inform the 2 kids and their parents that there would be no trip because it was so AWFUL that we do not provide parking (in front of 40 other people who managed to park outside, who would have been upset had I favored the CE family). She is followed by CEM who now has a wheedling tone of voice:
CEM: Aw come on honey, I’m all parked; the kids are so looking forward to this
CEW: NO!! I won’t stand for it! Arglebarglebargle
So last I saw of the CE family they were loading up CEW’s car while she counted the empty spaces in our parking lot. Not that it’s any of her business that there are 4 spaces left and we need them for a later group.
I’m sure poor CI will get another earful about how rude I was and how I should be fired. Never mind that we both work for COMPLETELY different agencies.
TL: DR version – Couple wanted to park in our lot because they had paid another agency “a lot of money”, then cancels the whole weekend when they find they have to park 2 minutes down the road.
Our parking lot holds 16 cars max, we only have room for our own staff and sometimes a couple spaces for visiting scientists/instructors or VIPS. We certainly do not provide overnight parking for non staff (overnight parking has to leave keys with us). Everyone parks outside on the street -the port Police and the Sheriffs are right next door, the Coast Guard is at the end of the road, the street parking here is very safe, despite looking a bit dystopian. Sometimes you might have to walk a couple of minutes, but it’s really and truly no big deal.
Our docks are very old and very industrial, with cleats and other bits of metal sticking out. So we require people to wear close-toed shoes. Because any injuries we have had on the docks have been idiots stubbing their toes on bits of metal, and then they try to make it our fault.
Any and all activities that come through here are told, in writing, that close-toed shoes are required and that the facility does not provide parking – but that street parking is available.
One of our sister science centers is having a “Large University friends and family weekend” over on the island that is 22 miles away. The vessel is overbooked and they even have people on the waiting list.
/Background
So it’s bright and early 0730 on a Friday morning. More than the usual number of people are milling about; most of them have small children. The boat to take them to the island is down the way getting fuel so we just tell them where the boat will be docking and where the restrooms are.
I notice that there are a few cars in the parking lot that should not be there, so I head on down to the dock to see who has misunderstood about parking. On the dock I notice a younger man and his two sons are wearing flip-flops or Teva-type sandals, and I inform them about the need for close-toed shoes on the dock. I then point to the sign on the gangway that they passed by that says just that. The grandfather of the bunch scoffs and rolls his eyes at me.
The younger man and his wife get a little snotty, and tell me “well nobody said anything about that”. But then his wife says that she has their shoes in their bag (which means she had them ready and did know about it, but whatever) so I thank them and go to address the milling crowd.
Cast of characters:
me (yup)
CEM = Crazy Entitled Man
CEW Crazy Entitled Man’s Wife
IC - Island Coordinator for this whole weekend shebang
(my thoughts in italics)
Me: Does anyone have a car parked in the lot? If so you will have to move it to the street, we do not provide overnight parking inside the lot
CEM: Are you !@#%$#% kidding me! There’s no Goddamn parking anywhere!!
Me: (oh look he’s the grandfather of the shoe fighter family) If you head down the street to your left there should be parking just round the bend on the right – I checked myself and it’s only a 2 minute walk. The boat isn’t due for another 30 minutes so you have plenty of time. The other people on the boat have all found parking so I know there is some available.
CEM: <yelling> arrglebargle QW%$#%@#$%#$ <wanders off to move his car>
I do another check of the lot and there is one more car that shouldn’t be there. Just as I’m about to head back to the dock a woman approaches me. Turns out she is CEM’s wife! And that’s HER car! They brought two cars!
CEW: This is ridiculous! I was TOLD that I would be provided parking! Safe parking INSIDE the lot!
Me: Are you the group leader for this group by any chance? Or an instructor? (Sometimes we provide parking for visiting scientists/ instructors or VIPS like that)
CEW: <scoffs> NO! But I was PROMISED Parking!
Me: Well, let me just call the island and see what’s going on – do you remember who promised you parking?
CEW: <agitated> I CANT BELIEVE THIS! I was PROMISED parking INSIDE! AND YOU ALREADY MADE MY HUSBAND MOVE!! <wanders off out the parking lot as I make the call, still yelling>
So I call the island and get through to the coordinator
Me: hey - did you promise anyone parking this weekend?
IC: No – we never promise parking unless we clear it with you guys first.
Me: huh strange, I have this family who swear they were promised parking and also told me that nobody informed them about the close-toed shoe requirement.
IC: No way, that was on the packet that was sent to every family. That they need to park on the street, that the street parking is perfectly safe, and that they need to wear close-toed shoes.
So now armed with the true story I go looking for CEW. I notice her darling husband heading for the parking lot.
Me: Sir? Sir? (awesome he’s walking away from me and doing that “go away” hand gesture at me behind his back)
Me: <yelling> SIR! Is that your car?
CEM: YOU GO AWAY! I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU!! I had to park MILES away (it’s been all of 10 minutes since he went to park, parked, and walked back) and YOU JUST KEEP AWAY FROM ME!!
CEW: WE PAID $3000 DOLLARS FOR THIS TRIP and you won’t provide parking!?! Arglebarglebargle (holy crap where did she come from?)
CEM: We paid $5000 for this trip arglebarglebargle
CEW: <yelling at husband> No *I* paid $3000 for this trip but I should just CANCEL (hmm they have 6 people and will be on the island for 4 days, with food, accommodation, activities & transport? That’s not a bad deal)
CEM: <suddenly calmer> Just give me the keys and I’ll move the car, the kids are really looking forward to this weekend!
Me: Let me just call the island again (speed dials CI) Hi! CI! There’s a couple here who seem a bit upset could you please speak to them? <passes the phone to CEW>
CEW: < reiterates all of her previous yelling again at poor CI, who does NOT agree that she had promised CEW parking > Well that’s FINE! We will just CANCEL and you can reimburse me! Here! Talk to my husband! <Passes my phone to CEM>
CEM to CI: <walking away from me because he doesn't want to be near me, yet he has my phone, so I follow along> I CAN’T BELIEVE ALL THE PROBLEMS! AND your people here with nothing better to do than nag us about our shoes and where to park!! Arglebarglebargle (heres where I start laughing at all of this)
Me: Sir? May I please have my phone back? (yes I’m so unhelpful that I even let you use my phone to try to sort this out….)
So obviously the woman has been caught in her lie. She was not promised parking, she was simply told that the parking on the street would be safe.
Me to CI: (yay I got my phone back from the crazy people) ok so what would you like me to do? I mean I could give one of them my spot…
CI: Well it’s up to you, if they cancel we will lose the $3000, but they will be there till Monday night, …
(If you’re making that much money why didn't you book some VIP parking with us? And I’m certainly not going to go kiss any butts right about now)
Me: <looking at Calendar> oh that won’t work; we have the harbor department in this weekend and need all our spaces
CI: Ok well sorry for all the bother, nothing we can do, they were informed.
Me: Yeah I think they are just used to getting their way. Besides your boat was overbooked - they might have been bumped to the <ferry that costs a lot of money> anyways.
So I watch CEW storm down the gangway and inform the 2 kids and their parents that there would be no trip because it was so AWFUL that we do not provide parking (in front of 40 other people who managed to park outside, who would have been upset had I favored the CE family). She is followed by CEM who now has a wheedling tone of voice:
CEM: Aw come on honey, I’m all parked; the kids are so looking forward to this
CEW: NO!! I won’t stand for it! Arglebarglebargle
So last I saw of the CE family they were loading up CEW’s car while she counted the empty spaces in our parking lot. Not that it’s any of her business that there are 4 spaces left and we need them for a later group.
I’m sure poor CI will get another earful about how rude I was and how I should be fired. Never mind that we both work for COMPLETELY different agencies.
TL: DR version – Couple wanted to park in our lot because they had paid another agency “a lot of money”, then cancels the whole weekend when they find they have to park 2 minutes down the road.
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