Recently I drove to Battle, where there's a "secret" free parking lot attached to the main money grubbing lot. Code word: "overflow". It's not advertised as a cheapskates sanctuary, it's just something you have to know. Someone told me about it years ago. Apparently a woman left the land to the city under certain conditions, one of them being this small gift to a never-ending thankful parade. (Haven't a clue if that's true, but it's a nice story.)
I had an appointment with the vet, and as usual was hoping not to deal with the machine in the main lot, having had money eaten there and just not wanting to pay – especially since they started requiring input of your plate number so as to stop mini-freebies to strangers lucky enough to be gifted your ticket and the remainder of your time as you were leaving.
It was chock-a-block, with people parking where there wasn't really room but doing it anyway because FREE; experience told me someone usually leaves before too long. Meanwhile you either find a spot to idle, or circle like a shark. I went the shark route.
On my second pass, now being tailed by another shark, I noticed a pedestrian coming my way. We locked eyes and she pointed to her car, immediately to my left.
OH FRABJOUS JOY.
