Zach Helfand's essay on parking in New York City evokes deep reflections on the cultural significance of finding parking spaces. The author describes parking as a 'sacrament' in city life, likening it to a relationship with the 'parking gods.' Experiences recounted range from the joy of finding a spot near one's home to the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Personal anecdotes illustrate the lengths to which one goes for parking, revealing how integral this pursuit is to urban living, even affecting experiences such as witnessing a child's birth.
"Now there's parking near the Lower East Side!" I didn't even own a car, but I had thoroughly internalized the local attitude around parking.
Spending forty-five minutes searching for parking on one day might be the reason that, on another, your husband finds a space near the hospital just in time to witness the birth of your child.
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