Decision Time

We were on our say back from watering the Cat Garden, when a vehicle pulled up bside us and the passenger door opened. It was one of those pretend 4WD things so not the easiest for a middle aged woman armed with shopping bags to climb down from.

At this point you are going to benefit from a diagram; it's the only way you can participate in the decision-making that followed:

Study this carefully, we will be referring to it.

As Mrs X is endeavouring to manoeuvre herself out of vehicle X, vehicle Y approaches up the side street. Simultaneously a woman (Ms Z) exits a building, and blips the unlocking lights in vehicle Z. Mr X, sensing the availability of a park AND competition for that space from vehicle Y has to choose between (1) killing his wife, mother of his children, soul-mate and life partner,  and (2) losing the parking space.

It's a no-brainer: Replacement wives are more plentiful and easier to find than parking spaces. 

Taki (we'll call him that, because his wife did) without hesitation released the brake pedal and amid loud protestations, rapidly rolled forward to block Y. Just as things stabilized and Mrs Takis, half in/half out, felt she could resume her purpose, Takis realized he hadn't rolled far enough and Y might still sneak through, so he made another unannounced rapid advance.

Three such advances on total, a car length each time, before Takis was satisfied he had secured unchallengeable rights to any parking space that might become available should Z actually pull out.  We do wonder if Takis might be getting his ear 'chewed' over lunch today (if he even got any lunch).