It’s His Parenting That Really Stings

I work as a supervisor for city beach parking lots. I am responsible for two lots about a half-hour away from the main resort area. They’re usually used by locals or people who want to hang out at the beach without the traffic and tourists. The downside is that there aren’t really any shops or anything to do besides the beach.

Management is VERY strict. The accounting is simple: the customer pays for parking, we give them a ticket and keep the stub, and at the end of the day, the total cash has to equal the value of the stubs. The only cause for a refund is if we have taken someone’s money but there are actually no spaces in the lot. The “no refunds” policy is printed on the back of every ticket. Sometimes we will cheat if the excuse is good enough and we think we can resell the ticket.

We are not associated with the lifeguards or any other city employee, so if the beach is red-flagged for some reason, we won’t know until we see the mass exodus of people. When that happens, I will ask someone leaving what happened and then tell my cashiers to warn people wanting to park while I find a lifeguard and verify that this was actually the case.

Today, departing beachgoers say that the water has been red-flagged due to jellyfish. I tell my cashiers, find a lifeguard who verifies that this is correct, and return to find a man with his young son arguing with the cashier.

Me: “What seems to be the problem?”

Driver: “Your cashier didn’t tell us the beach was red-flagged before we parked!”

Cashier: “I’m really sorry, but you parked right before we found out.”

Driver: “I want a refund!”

Me: “I do apologize, but I am not allowed to issue you a refund. We don’t sell beach access, only places to park, which you were able to do.”

It’s also about an hour before it’s time for us to leave, so there is no way we can resell the ticket.

Driver: “But the beach is red-flagged and my son is allergic to jellyfish!”

Me: “Again, I apologize, but my boss is very strict on refunds.”

Driver: “I demand to talk to your boss!”

I call my boss, who I know will not be happy to have to deal with this. I give him a brief explanation of the situation and then hand the phone to the customer.

Driver: “I demand a refund! The beach—”

My boss cuts him off and, I assume, gives him the “no refunds at any time” lecture. After a minute, the man hangs up the phone and hands it back to me.

Driver: “Well then, since we have to pay, we will go to the beach anyway! And when my son has to be taken away in an ambulance, know that it is all your fault!”

The man stormed away with the boy in tow, and I was just left in shock that a $5 parking ticket was worth more to the man than his son’s health. No ambulance had arrived by the time the cashiers and I left, though!