In defense of parking for new or expectant moms.

The farther you go out into the 'burbs, the more you see prime parking spaces for new or expectant moms at supermarkets and strip malls. And for years, I wondered: does anyone use them? They always seemed empty... to the point when I couldn't find a regular space, that I would start to feel pretty darn tempted to park in one. Especially when I would see perfectly un-pregnant-looking women (and sometimes men) doing exactly what I was only thinking about doing. Okay, maybe you can be pregnant without actually looking pregnant, I would tell myself. (Well, maybe not the men.) But if you really wanted to, you could fake being pregnant for sake of parking - because is the parking police really going to demand to see a positive pregnancy test? I don't think so.

But, alas, for years I have resisted stealing parking from the new or expectant among us. Because I knew that one day, a time would come when I would take full advantage of those parking spaces... and now, I'm taking full advantage, baby. Oh yeah. In fact, if I pull into a parking lot, and those precious "mom" spaces are already taken, I can't help but react with complete indignation. How dare someone else park there? Those are my spaces! And are they really new or expectant moms? But then, when I have to park a mile away from some super-store and waddle my pregnant self to my destination, I just get more cranky and suspicious of the allegedly pregnant women and mothers who are already parked in my spaces. Meh. The irony of it all is that having special parking for being pregnant would have never even occurred to me... but now that I know it exists, I feel that it has become my right as a pregnant woman. But that's my own problem. :-)

Joe always tells me I'm being suspicious for nothing... but last night at the Harris Teeter in Arlington, I had all the proof of my suspicion I need. Lucky for us, we scored one of the two "new or expectant mom" spaces right by the entrance. We braved the crowds and lines inside, all in the name of Thanksgiving shopping, and returned to our car. But what did we find? A young, twenty-something male Redskins fan parking in the only other "mom" space right next to us. By himself. No expectant mom or children in sight. Clearly, Redskins mania must have gotten the better of him, as that would explain how he confused "new or expectant mom" parking for "quick halftime beer run" parking. Maybe they need their own special parking, too?

Next time, avoid supermarkets during Redskins game, I guess. I'll try to chalk this up to a random asshole occurrence, and assume that those parking spaces are otherwise occupied by legitimate new and expectant moms. Just let me find parking without having to walk a mile, please!