Returning home after a four-day holiday vacation, my husband and I were exhausted and eager to settle back into our routine. But when we arrived, we found a car parked in our designated covered spot.
We live in a complex where each unit gets one assigned parking space that we pay for. With a baby in tow and a car full of holiday luggage, the extra distance to an open spot made unloading especially challenging.
Despite our frustration, we chose not to call for a tow that night. It was Christmas, after all, and we wanted to give the benefit of the doubt. Instead, I left a polite note on the car, asking them to move. By morning, the note was gone, but the car remained.
Still trying to avoid conflict, I left another note, clearly stating that if the car wasn’t moved by the afternoon, I’d have no choice but to call a towing service. Again, the note disappeared, but the car stayed put. By 5 p.m., I followed through and called for the tow.
Now, I can’t shake the guilt. What if it was someone visiting family and they’d mistakenly parked in our spot? Why didn’t they respond to the notes? The possibility that I might’ve disrupted someone’s holiday weighs heavily on me.
Adding to my unease, my husband thinks I should’ve waited longer before taking action. He’s concerned about retaliation and now wants us to park elsewhere for a week to avoid any potential damage to our car.
I feel conflicted on one hand, I know we were entitled to use the spot we pay for, especially with the added challenge of having a baby. On the other hand, the idea that I may have ruined someone’s Christmas eats at me.
Was enforcing the rule the right thing to do, or could I have handled this differently?