Holding on to my pocket change, thank you very much

This week I was reunited with my friend Kim, who recently returned from her service in the Peace Corps, and during one of our conversations I told her that I never thought I'd say it, but I miss the suburbs.

There are more reasons than one why this sentiment is sometimes true for me, but one of them is that suburban parking--generally speaking--is free.

I am currently sitting in Starbucks, in a suburb, where the parking is indeed free. And there were several available spots in the parking lot when I arrived, and there still are. Even if I had to park at the nearby bank, on foot it would take me less than two minutes to walk from car to front door of the 'Bucks.

At this time in my life I live in a college town (I'm visiting my family for Thanksgiving break, hence my present presence in a suburban Starbucks). Parking in a college town is, in two words--because I don't want to pick one: obnoxious and aggravating.

There are exceptions, but so often in a trendy, crowded college downtown, you have to pay to park, you have to search for a space, and where you park doesn't necessarily put you very close to your destination building. In fact, unless you have a special permit to park in a lot nearby your place of work, where you park is rarely near to where you want to end up.

Add to this headache that if you are short one dime, or a meter has a 2-hour limit and you really need to park for three hours but don't have the time to find another spot (or there aren't any nearby that are available), or your class or meeting or coffee date goes just a little too long, etc. etc., then you might find a little envelope on your windshield demanding even more money than you're already spending to park in the first place.

Day after day.

Some minutes ago, here in my alma mater workplace, this suburban Starbucks, I vaguely thought to myself about the potential of a ticket being placed on my windshield. I had that slight panic/annoyance/call it what you may that you get when you think, "Do I need to put more money in the meter?"

Then I realized: Relax. You're in the suburbs, Baby.