Prologue

Mary Ann

Parking Pecking Order

The Lunchtime Grab

Operation Early Bird

Solitaire

Baiting A Sloth

Instant Car-ma

Once, when Jean had announced she would be out of the office the next day, Mary Ann took her spot. A clear declaration that she thought of herself in charge when the boss wasn't around. It was around this time that Mary Ann even had the gall to sign her letters "Special Projects Editor," though she had no such title, and her letters were no different than those sent out by any of the other Assistant Editors. It was also right around this time that Mary Ann ordered a chair for herself that was so far above the normal price paid for employee chairs that the company's President came up to see it for himself.

But I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she just didn't get it. Or at least thought that the spots were always up for grabs, though I parked in my spot more than eighty percent of the time. I accepted that I would just have to get in early to ensure my spot for the day. My mistake.

Late one afternoon, I took my car and went out to lunch. Mary Ann had gone out for her lunch several hours earlier and was now back in the cottage, "working," as I left. My empty spot proved too irresistible for Mary Ann. Upon returning from lunch I found her car in my spot! That tore it. Now I knew it was personal.

Next: Operation Early Bird