The Buick store I worked at was on the corner of two main avenues. There was an entrance at both sides and was a favorite short cut for people who didn’t want to wait for the traffic light. We had cars on the front line, and then cars behind them with a lane to drive through and move cars in and out. The lane went right through the lot to the other side where you could turn onto the other street. Also, people like to drive through car lots so they can feel like they went looking at cars. I never figured that out; you can drive through the shopping mall parking lot and look at way more cars.

We used to block one end of the lane or the other with a car so people couldn’t drive through. And it was funny to watch them try. They’d drive in and cut through the lane thinking they would get through only to come to the blocker car. Then they had to hurry up and back out before one of the horde of salesmen on the porch attacked them. It was just a small reward for me to see the frustration on their faces.

One day some guy in an old Cadillac drove through. He got to the blocker and stopped. He didn’t back up, but you could hear him cussing all the way up on the porch. He got out of the car and yelled at us. Of course, we acted like we couldn’t understand what he was yelling, but it was clear he was telling us to move that goddam car or he’d call the cops or someone. Finally, one of, the guys went out to talk to the guy and told him he’d go get the key and move the blocker for him so he could continue on his way. While they talked I got a key for another car and went out and blocked the other end of the lane with another car. He was nabbed.

It may have been the only time in history when you couldn’t find a salesman anywhere. We all disappeared and left him stuck out on the lot. We were all down in the conference room playing liar’s dice. One of the managers popped in, yelling at us to get back out on the lot, and by the way,” Which one of you fuckers blocked that asshole on the lot?  I had to go move that damned car myself!” Car World problems.