Last Night.

So, I was leaving work last night, and realized that I didn't have a parking pass with me. Basically, we've had 1 more guy going downtown lately than usual, and so a few of us downtown have been sharing one. Yesterday, I drew the short straw, and was also the last one to leave.

Now, this is a puzzle, because without a pass, how am I to get out of the parking deck? In the past, we've been able to "fill out" the ticket, and they'd let us leave, and bill the money to the parking pass. Thus, I didn't think that it would be a problem at all. Now, if you're thinking to yourself "well it must have been, or you wouldn't be writing about it," then you are absolutely correct!

I get up to the gate, explain my situation to the young lady that's handling the booth at the moment, and alas, they can't do that anymore. Or, at least, she won't for me. I don't know which was the case. I have to pay 20 dollars to get out of the parking deck. "Well, I don't have any cash on me right now, are you sure I can't just fill out the ticket?"

"No, I'm sorry, you'll have to pay."

"You don't take cards or anything, right?" That would be way too convenient.

"No, sir, I'm sorry. If you'll back up, you can go by the parking office right here and he may be able to help you." Granted, I'm paraphrasing. She was a 30 something lady, working as a career (i can only assume) in a parking booth. So it may not have been quite so eloquent. No, not downing booth attendants, but generically speaking, there isn't much in the way of education required to do said job.

Anyway, I skidaddle on over to the "parking office" and a somewhat more edumacated gentleman still refuses to allow me to fill out a voucher. I'm a little disturbed at this point, but not too bad. He says that if I pay, and come back tomorrow, they'll be able to reimburse me. He suggests that I go up to the ATM and get cash. It's right upstairs, so I head on up to take out some money. Lo and behold, it's out of order. It's sub-30 degrees outside, sleeting, and the nearest ATM (in working order) is roughly 2 and a half blocks away. Fuck me. Now I'm peeved.

I walk out, get my money, rush back to the parking office to give him another piece of my mind and it's locked. Are you fucking shitting me? Back in my car, back to the "booth lady" to pay my fine and get the hell out. I'm nice, it's not her fault, it's their policy, I just wanted her to know, etc etc. She takes my ticket, takes my name, and tells me that I can come back tomorrow and stop by the building management office to get my refund. Yes, I'm fucking sure.

I'm sitting here now thinking it's just a sunk cost, I don't even want to call them again because I'm going to get pissed off again. But I'm going to. I'm going to get my 20 bucks back. It's not the money, it's the principal of the damn thing.