May I Help You?

Each time you enter a parking lot in the area, you are accosted, I mean assisted, by an overly eager parking attendant. For some, this is an actual paid position. They've been hired by a business to keep trouble out of the parking lot. For many others, it is a way to make some money. Usually when your car is spotted, you'll see arms windmilling around, directing you to park in a certain spot. Oddly enough, you often pass up better spots and endure more hazards, like cars backing up, to get to where they want you to park. When we pile out, Darin usually asks the “guard” to keep an eye on the car. They do much more than that. Most times we have been to the grocery store, and we do go quite often, our guard is right outside the doors, waiting for us to be checked. (Before you leave the store, you must show your receipt, much like at Sam's Club back home, and then you may exit.) So when we exit, there's our parking guy, waiting to help us push the cart or carry bags. Most times he just reaches over and grabs the cart, even as you are still pushing it. Once we reach our car, he helps us load it up, and then Darin gives him some change, and if Darin reads this before sending it on to you all, he can give you an idea of how much he gives.
It's just another thing that makes living here so very interesting.