I’m picking up a co-op car from an apartment building’s underground parking. Since there’s a locked gate, the app provides me with a code to enter. As I’m standing at the entrance reading the instructions for how to get in on my phone, a woman pulls up next to me in an SUV.
Woman: “Do you live here?”
Me: “No.”
Woman: “Then what are you doing?”
Me: “I’m borrowing a [Co-Op] car.”
Woman: “Whose car? Do you have permission?”
Me: “Um, yeah. I’m a [Co-Op] member, and I’ve booked one through the app.”
Woman: “But did you talk to somebody here?”
Me: “No.”
Woman: “So, you don’t have permission, then.”
Me: “Yeah, no, I do. [Co-Op] has an agreement with the building management to park here.”
Woman: “Well, I don’t feel comfortable with you being here.”
Me: “Okay.”
I go back to entering the code.
Woman: “Did you hear me? I said I’m not comfortable with you being here.”
Me: “Yes, I heard you. I don’t know what you’re expecting me to do.”
Woman: “This is very strange. What you’re doing, it’s very strange.”
Me: “It’s really not.”
Woman: “Well, it’s not okay. I don’t like it.”
Me: “Then take it up with your strata council, the building management, or whoever it is that made the agreement with [Co-Op].”
Woman: “I don’t understand why you’re doing this. You shouldn’t be doing this.”
Me: “…doing what? Renting a car?”
Woman: “Well, I guess I can’t stop you.”
Me: “Nope.”
Woman: “But you know this is wrong.”
Me: “Rock on.”
She glared at me, and I finally finished entering the code. As I walked over to the [Co-Op] parking spaces, she followed me very slowly in her giant SUV; if I stopped, she stopped, and when I started walking again, she started creeping along behind me once more. It was one of the funniest things I’d ever seen. I deliberately took some extra time unplugging the charging cable, neatly hanging it up, and then inspecting the rental car for damage while she sat a few metres away, staring daggers at me. I waved at her as I drove off.
