Sunday, March 25, 2012

Good Deeds - It's All Relative

A "news analysis" piece in the Sunday New York Times, titled "Text to Driver: That’s My Space," that explores a growing phenomenon of "parking rage." That's when you sit in your car in your parking spot and do some texting or emailing or twittering or facebooking or....anything that involves having your head bent over a small smartphone device and moving your thumbs, rather than driving away and letting someone else use the parking spot.

This anecdote caught my attention:

On weekends, said Mr. Mercuri, he drives to the suburbs to do errands at stores like Costco, where parking lots can get packed. He said that if he finds himself using his phone in his car after he shops and sees someone who needs his spot, he’ll pull into a fire lane. But on the weekdays, he said, he’s under too much pressure to give up a parking space. Monday to Friday, you have to have that hard edge,” he said. “On the weekends, I try to find small ways to do good to balance it out.” 

I must admit, I am not envious of Mr. Mercuri. He is under so much pressure that the "hard edge" critical to succeed includes ignoring the needs of the parking public. 

Now that is a man in need of edge, wherever he can get it and as hard as he can get it. 

Here's hoping his weekend charitable activities are enough to refill his cosmic karmic account.

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