Didn't I see this once on "Fraiser"?

A lunch with your coworkers can be a fun, interesting, and overall enjoyable experience (and thankfully, mine always are). And though the teaser from my last entry indicated that something rip-roaringly funny transpired over the midday meal, it was actually after lunch that hilarity ensued.

Have you ever been to the North Market near downtown Columbus? Great place. There's a convenient parking lot right in front of it, if you're going to the North Market. If you planning on venturing out of the lot to a nearby establishment, say the Japanese Steakhouse, then God help you when you're ready to leave.

After a nice, leisurely meal with most of my co-workers (we were meeting up with one of those who did not survive the previously mentioned downsizing), we were met with an ugly surprise. The guy driving the car, we'll call him "CB", hands over his ticket and is greeted with: "I'm sorry, this isn't validated - did you not validate your ticket in the North Market?"

And that's where CB made his fatal mistake.

He admits that we were never in the North Market - that we were those people who show up at lunch to use their lot to walk to nearby restaurants throughout the Short North. And the next words that came out of her mouth unleashed unholy Hell.

"That will be $14.00, sir."

We were, to say the least, astounded by the charge for what amounted to about an hour of parking. CB protested (wouldn't you?) and was told that the rates we had seen driving in were for validated tickets and that those not validated would be charged the maximum rate plus $10 and there was a sign for that too.

There wasn't a sign. Oh, there were signs, but not that sign. Tons of little signs with tons of little words and the best part was that when we asked where the sign was that warned innocent parkers of the price hike they were going to receive, she pointed to one right in front of her -- in the exit lane! Because that's where I look for the fine print when pulling into a parking lot.

Now there's a line forming behind us. CB isn't about to pay $14. And we're very late to work.

This was one of those awkward moments where your friend is yelling about bad service and you don't want to be there - you deftly avoid all eye contact with the person working (in this case, the young lady in the parking booth -- who, I might add, seemed to be a pro at handling guys like CB who refuse to pay $14 for an hour and threaten to ram the gate...which he did...threaten, not actually ram).

"Let me out. I don't care. Call the police, here's $4 -- I'm not paying a cent more, LET ME OUT!" he bellowed. The line was getting longer.

Now, all we had to do was go back into the North Market, buy ANYTHING, and get that little pink piece of crap paper ticket stamped with the validation that yes, we had supported the many local merchants who make a living selling their wares at the North Market.

"I just have to buy something and they'll stamp this and I can get out of here for less than $14?" was the paraphrased questioned CB posed to the young woman. Her reply "yes". His repsonse?

He put the car in park, opened his door, and left us sitting there while he headed off to the market. So not even kidding. There was more shouting, threats of towing and parking rules; he was going on about how he had to buy something and he'd be right back -- no words. At this point, I was on the verge of laughing until I cried. I can't even begin to describe that exact moment when he just walked away. I almost applauded.

Come on, $14...you'd have championed CB too.

I guess at this point I could regale you with this moment of quiet vigilantism and how it changed a parking lot's operation forever -- but in all reality, the end of the story is extremely anti-climactic.

The guy in the car behind CB called out with a "You're not serious?" as CB defiantly strode out of the car -- and CB said he looked at the guy, saw the same frustration in his eyes that CB had felt and just couldn't hurt an innocent like that to spite the parking lot. So he hopped back in, we backed up, went to the North Market, bought some really good chocolate chip cookies, and left the parking lot three minutes later for the unexpectedly low fee of $1.75.

I won't even ask how they figured it should fall from $14 to $1.75 simply because we spent $2 on cookies. If it makes you feel any better (about the complete lack of nerve there at the end), CB let some choice words fly on the way out and vowed never to return to the seedy North Market parking lot.

You tell 'em, CB.

In a nice epilogue to this story -- upon returning to the office, CB stopped by his buddy's cubicle and said, "You wouldn't believe what happened to me in that effin' North Market parking lot..." and his buddy's reply?

"You had to buy some cookies didn't you?"