Prologue

Mary Ann

Parking Pecking Order

The Lunchtime Grab

Operation Early Bird

Solitaire

Baiting A Sloth

Instant Car-ma

The parking spot war began shortly after Gailynn left for a new job. There were four parking spots alongside the cottage for our use. Jean and Gailynn always parked in the two spots closest to the cottage. It was understood that the closest spot was for Jean, the boss. The rest were up for grabs. I always deferred to Gailynn since she had been hired before me.

I can't say I ever noticed wanting Gailynn's spot before she left. But when Gailynn departed, I figured on making her spot my new parking spot.

The first time Mary Ann parked in my new spot I thought it was just a mistake. I had parked there for a full week after Gailynn left. Long enough, I thought, to establish my claim. The next week though, I found I had competition for my spot. Mary Ann had started coming in early on Mondays so that she could leave at four. And every Monday I lost my spot.

But Tuesday through Friday it was mine. By numbers alone I should have been left in peace in my new spot.

Many Ann was not one to concede, however. She would regularly park in my spot on Mondays and even some other days of the week. As a constantly tardy employee, Mary Ann would never arrive before 9am to snatch my spot from me. On those rare occasions when I pulled in right at 9, only to see Mary Ann backing into my spot, my blood would boil.

I began showing up at 8:50 every morning.

This meant that I was often the first one there. It was then that I began to suspect that Mary Ann was slighting me personally. I noticed that she would never park in Jean's spot if she arrived before Jean. And when Mary Ann arrived before Pam, the new assistant editor, she never took Pam's spot. It seemed she respected Pam's parking spot as well.

Next: The Lunchtime Grab