Yesterday I was delivering some photographs of mine to an art show to be hung; via bicycle.  I took a shortcut through a parking garage and used the handicap ramp. The security guard made a lot of commotion to get my attention because I was wearing headphones. He then proceed to tell me that I couldn’t ride my bicycle down the ramp (pointing at the entrance ramp). I said that I did not ride my bike down that ramp, I entered on the other side and came up it. He said “up down whatever, you cant ride your bike in here.” I said Ok I was unaware of that and apologized. About 15 long seconds had passed when he then he said, “you did not know that?,” I responded by saying no. He then told me I should go back to school. I said I am in Graduate School, and he followed with “well you should stay there.” I was now aggravated, I impulsively responded with, “I will stay in school, this way here I don’t end up with a job like yours.”

A little harsh I know, but I was unaware that I could not ride my bicycle through there and I apologized for it. For reasons that I didn’t understand, he dragged it out and kept provoking me. One can only resist for so long, and I should only have to apologize once.

There’s a lot that can be learned from this experience.