Two bucks

I went to the theatre tonight.  (I do that.)

Drove there about a half hour early, in order to negotiate the underground parking lot (with the thousand other cars sharing the space).  There was a long line of cars waiting to pay for the privilege of getting in.  The line ran pretty much all the way down to the street to the next intersection.  It was so long, that when I made a left turn from that intersection, there was barely room for my car in the line -- I was nearly sitting there exposed with the back of my car in the way of oncoming traffic.

As I inched along, waiting patiently in line, a car in the next lane was signalling to get into the line.  I hadn't watched him so wasn't sure whether he'd just been trying to bypass the bulk of the line -- or if he'd got stuck in the wrong lane by turning when there was no room in the line.  I gave him the benefit of the doubt (and the benefit of the fact I still had 20 minutes), and let him in right in front of me.  He waved.  I waved back.  Usual transaction completed.

About five minutes later, I actually got into the parking garage.  By this time, I had my eight dollar fee all ready in my hand (because, as the sign says, if you have your money ready, it will speed the line along).  Parking guy says to me, "Six more dollars."  I look at him like he's joking.  Dude, I'm giving you eight dollars; parking is not fourteen.  He repeats it, "I need six dollars more."  I push my eight dollars toward him.  He takes six of it and folds two back in my hand.  "The man in that car," he says, pointing to the dude I'd let in, "paid two dollars for you."

Put a smile on my face for the next few hours.  Amazing what two bucks can do.