Reading The Ticket, That’s The Ticket!

(I’m at an appointment a couple towns over. When I come back to my car, I see a parking inspector standing next to my car writing a ticket.)

Me: “Hi, this is my car. Is there some sort of problem?”

Parking Inspector: “Hello, yes. This street is resident parking only.”

Me: “Oh, I didn’t notice.” *taking a look around* “Wait, would you mind showing me the sign that states this is resident parking only?”

Parking Inspector: “There is none.”

Me: “How do you mean? There is none?”

Parking Inspector: “Yes, there has been a construction site here recently. It seems they didn’t put the sign back up when they finished.”

Me: “Okay, but how am I supposed to know this is residents-only then?”

Parking Inspector: “Look, I’m not going to argue. You are parking here and I’m going to write you a ticket. You can object to the ticket once you receive the official ticket per mail.”

Me: “Okay. Could you write down that the sign is missing, please?”

Parking Inspector: “Okay.” *finishes writing, prints out the ticket, and hands it to me* “Good day, sir.”

(Fast forward a couple of weeks. By now, I have received the ticket by mail and objected to it according to the attached instructions, pointing out I couldn’t even know this is resident parking only since there was no sign and I’m from a couple towns over. One afternoon my telephone rings.)

Employee: “Hello, is this [My Name]? I’m calling about your objection to a parking ticket.”

Me: “Yes, this is [My Name].”

Employee: “I’m afraid your objection has been dismissed as being unsubstantiated. I’m calling to let you know that, if you pay this week before we send out another payment request, you’ll save yourself paying the processing fee.”

Me: *in disbelief* “How do you mean? Can you pull up the ticket on your screen and read it back to me? I just want to be 100% sure we’re talking about the same ticket.”

Employee: “Sure, wait. Just let me pull it up.” *goes silent for a few seconds* “Sir?”

Me: “Yes.”

Employee: “Consider the matter resolved. I’m going to take charge of it from here on. Have a nice day.”

Me: “Thank you. You, too!”

Employee: *mumbling while hanging up* “Dear Lord in heaven. I’m working with idiots!”