Parking — from disaster to delight

From getting multiple parking tickets for parking in the wrong lot to having difficulty finding a spot on your own street to even refusing to drive anywhere to prevent losing your parking spot — the list of campus parking woes goes on and on. 

One Thursday night, my best friend and I were coming home from a Black Action Through Unity event that we refused to walk to because it was freezing outside. We left after 10 p.m. and prayed that there would be a parking spot on Alberta so we wouldn’t have to walk that far to get home in East Stewart Gardens. 

The parking gods answered our prayers; we found the most perfect spot, on Alberta close to our apartment. But, I would need to parallel park.

After five minutes of attempting unsuccessfully to back into the spot, I almost gave up. As I pulled out and around the car in front of me to attempt it one last time, two students walking home from their night out stopped to watch me struggle. 

They approached my driver’s side; I slowly rolled down my window. The taller of the two chuckled, “I see you’re having a bit of an issue. Let us help you out.” 

As he and his friend directed me, I parked my car in seconds. I turned off the engine to the sounds of hoots and hollers from both of them and my friend, cheering my success.

The kindness of those two students reinforced how grateful I am that the value of community has been instilled in us. I just wish I had learned their names before we parted ways … just in case I find a good parking spot again.

Illustration by Ronald Acklin.

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