Mad About You

Sometimes they'll move from one location to another inside the same zone. I'll have to go through and make sure my eyes aren't playing tricks on me. Their objective is to try and beat me.

Can they?

She shakes her head no, then tosses a "Happy Friday" to a pedestrian.

What's the best part of the job?

Being outdoors and meeting a variety of people.

The worst part?

The irate citizens. The profanity. It's not every day. Usually people are mad at themselves. If their tone is too high, I'll say, "Hold on, calm down, let me explain." In most cases I allow them to vent first. A ticket can be just the trigger to something going on in their lives, and I'm just the person to take it out on. I maintain my voice. My focus is to not allow anyone else to hear me so I don't appear combative. If you cannot handle the public, you do not want this job.

I bet you hear a lot of wild excuses.

Whenever I do, I say, "That is really a good one. I've never heard that before." That defuses the situation. I try to make a bad situation easier.

She gets to a BMW on N Street.

I want that car.

She tickets it.