Nemesis: The Lexus

This is my parking spot. It is easily identifiable by the dual exhaust burns up against the wall. While there is no sign with my name or even a number painted on the ground, it is my parking spot. I choose this spot on the 5th floor of the parking garage on my first day of work nearly a year ago, and it has been mine ever since......that is until "it" showed up.


One day last summer I drove up, and there "it" was -- a smug, black Lexus occupying my real estate. I was perturbed, but I gave "it" the benefit of the doubt. "It" obviously has accidentally parked in my spot not knowing the spot was already spoken for. But then it happened again and again. Each day I became more indignant. Obviously this egomaniac believed my lowly beat-up Honda Civic to be less important than his luxury Lexus. Whatever, it's not that special, it's got 4-wheels and engine just like mine. Just because my little car didn't have air conditioning or power steering, the bumper was falling off, and the paint was peeling away didn't mean it was any less deserving of the spot.

I soon discovered that Mr. Lexus and myself usually arrived at roughly the same time; it wasn't uncommon for one of us to be directly ahead of the other pulling into the garage. Since I really did not like that "my spot" had become first come, first serve, I would do my best to arrive just a few minutes early to protect my turf.

This went on for months. One of us would pull into the spot and the other would choose a spot, no closer than two spots away. I was generally in a hurry, so I'd jump out of my car and run into work, and Mr. Lexus would stay in his car for some inexplicable reason, so we never had words until that one day.

I had pulled into "my spot," jumped out of car, and went to my trunk to retrieve my daily allotment of Diet Cokes (yes, I have a problem). Just as I was turning to head to the elevator, there was Mr. Lexus waving at me.

I had envisioned a real, class-A jerk, who's ego was so huge you'd wonder how he could actually make it through a door. But here stood before me a shy and slightly timid, middle-aged, Asian man. He introduced himself as James, and made a little joke about how we always seem to be going for the same parking spot. We chatted on our way up our respective offices, and then parted ways.

While things haven't changed that much--he still parks in my spot--gone are the feelings of animosity. How could I possibly stay angry with a such a nice person over something as silly as a parking spot? However, I still consider his Lexus my nemesis, because well, it's kind of fun to have a nemesis. :)