Is it worth getting your tires slashed?

Parking is a bitch in NYC, especially in my neighborhood.

I usually get home about 4 pm, and at that time you can park in front of schools. But normally, there are people stalking out those spots at 3:30.

Parking is an option between 2nd and 3rd avenues, but those spots are rare. There are meters everywhere, and I usually leave the apartment every 55 minutes until I don't have to fee 'em anymore, at 7 p.m.

That's a lot of quarters, a lot of overnapping leading to $55 tickets.

So, needless to say, when I see a spot, I am elated.

I drive up my block, and there is a spot on the right. I see it a good 50 feet ahead, so I put on my signal, slow down, immediately back up to parallel park into the spot.

Now, you'd figure EVERYONE has seen that Seinfeld episode where George has a standoff with some guy... one backing in, one trying to work his way in, nose first.

So as I'm backing up, this guy is nosing in. I back up aggressively, and look at the window.

"You're KIDDING, right?!?" I yell.

He says, "I was here first," with a shit-eating grin. Even though I was IN FRONT of him.

I yell "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE" and back up more aggressively.

I win.

He pulls up at a pump to unload some stuff from his van, and as I walk by him, with a look of disdain, he has the NERVE to say to me:

"Next time, you can say 'thank you.'"

Oh, like I was going to let THAT go.

"THANK you?? That was a REALLY rude thing to do. Are you kidding me MOTHERFUCKER? Get the fuck out of here."

I am now wondering if my tires are slashed and my window is shattered.