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I have not been feeling myself lately and decided to visit the pharmacy today to get some medicine.  After my father being in ICU for nearly 90 days, I have had my dose of doctors for a lifetime, so I opted not to go.  As I parked my car in the parking area,  I saw a car guard with an orange vest coming closer, to show me the very same and very obvious parking space I was about to park in.  

Yes, here in South Africa we have car guards.  They can't find jobs and then they become like "parking attendants" that need to be paid for looking after your car while you shop.  Most of these guys make me so angry I could literally just run them over. 

We do pay insurance, but living in such a dangerous country and with so many people without jobs we do tip these guys with small change because they also need to survive. Every little bit helps.   

Usually to ensure that they DO get a tip, they come running the second you're on your way back to the car and push the trolley towards your car. They then unload all the packages and show you how to back out of the parking spot, after giving them a tip of course.  

There are quite a few car guards in each parking lot, so I've tested them on many occasions.  If they take the trolley to the correct car, then I will tip them. I've had a few that expected money but they couldn't show me my car and then I've had a few that actually showed me to my car - when I forgot where I parked- at a very busy shopping center.  

So today after I parked my car I went inside the pharmacy to get the meds and then went to the shop next door to buy a few things we needed at home.  It was not a lot of stuff, but it was too heavy to carry so I pushed the trolley to the car.  I expected the car guard to come running like usual, but he just stood there waiting for me to get the trolley to the car. I unlocked the car and packed in all the groceries by myself.  When I was done, I proceeded to get into my car and I saw this guy standing next to my door.  

He was waiting for his tip.  Believe it or not, he STILL expected to be paid after doing absolutely NOTHING.  I was furious but didn't say a word, but as I backed up he said something that made me feel as if I can just get out of the car and slap him.  

"You should pay me R5,00 or your car might be damaged the next time I see you."

I gave him a fierce look and then closed my window slowly while backing out of the parking.  

I have no proof of what he said, and there is no one that I can report him to.  

What should I do? It's not as if I can avoid going there, but I will definitely NOT be blackmailed by a car guard. 

Hopefully he would have forgotten what he said the next time I see him, but believe me I will make sure that he will get punished if my car gets damaged. We live in a sick world and people just get stranger and less compassionate on a daily basis.  

Everyone needs a little place in the sun, but in my eyes, car guards should be banned from this earth.