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The dramatic tension of this parking dispute is unbearable

These two have endless patience.

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David Britton

Internet Culture

Posted on Apr 3, 2019   Updated on May 20, 2021, 3:43 pm CDT

We’ve all been there. You spend what seems like forever trying to find a parking spot, and when a good one opens up someone snags it right as you’re about to pull in. It’s certainly frustrating, and maybe you’ve even succumbed to the temptation to honk your horn at the other driver, but would you spend over an hour blocking the spot so they couldn’t get in? Even if you were willing to be that stubborn, it almost certainly wouldn’t matter as the other driver would give up and move long before you reached that point.

Or maybe not. Two drivers in Los Angeles spent over an hour trying to wait each other out for a parking spot in Koreatown. We know this because a woman who goes by chicken tikka mariah on Twitter live-tweeted the whole ordeal in what’s become a viral bit of melodrama.

The two drivers didn’t just ruin their own days, they also seemed to have no problem spreading their frustration to the rest of the world by blocking traffic and making other cars go around them. Amazingly, the standoff didn’t end when another spot opened up across the street. Clearly, the dispute had become personal.

Unfortunately, the woman posting the thread did not see how the dispute began, but just like anyone watching a drama unfold, she has a fan theory.

The one hour mark comes and goes, and then a miracle occurs. Well actually, if you think about it, the inevitable occurs. The car in front of the coveted spot drives off, opening up two spots.

At this point, the drivers, the woman filming, and the people following along on Twitter have spent so long wondering who would get the spot that no one considered what would happen afterward. These two human beings would actually have to get out of their vehicles and face each other without the protection of steel and glass. Clearly, they needed some time to prepare.

Finally, it ends in the way that is was always most likely to end. One person gets out of their car and walks away. No confrontation, no yelling, no laughter, and hugging. It’s easy to forget that, unlike television writers, people in the real world tend to avoid face to face conflict whenever possible.

What a letdown.

Although there is no footage, we can assume the driver of the black car did the same. Not to worry though, chicken tikka mariah wasn’t about to let this go without an epilogue. She whipped up a quick email address and left individualized notes for the drivers of each car.

https://twitter.com/Mrhflrs/status/1112929062714929152

https://twitter.com/Mrhflrs/status/1112929342718304256

https://twitter.com/Mrhflrs/status/1112929647040225280

And she’s already received her first, almost certainly fake, response.

https://twitter.com/Mrhflrs/status/1112929874396643329

The whole story seems off the rails as is, but things took a turn for the even weirder when the original poster asked for, and received, Chrissy Teigen’s take on the whole situation.

https://twitter.com/Mrhflrs/status/1112976261838647296

Well, there you have it, folks. Teigen judgment has been pronounced. There can be no more debate. We now return you to whatever less important things you were doing with your life.

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*First Published: Apr 3, 2019, 12:18 pm CDT

David Britton

David Britton is a writer and comedian based in Rhinebeck, New York who focuses on internet culture, memes, and viral news stories. He also writes for the Hard Times and is the creator of StoriesAboutWizards.com.

David Britton