She was standing in the empty parking spot in Lenox, Massachusetts. I signaled that I was pulling in and she waved me off. My gesture of “Are you kidding?” was ignored.

I parked around the corner.

Saving a spot. The kind of behavior that might be expected in New York City. Might also get you killed. Unexpected in a small town in the Berkshire foothills.

As I passed the spot a few minutes later, I noticed that the car parked there had New York plates. Put things in perspective.