Ben’s phone chimed, “You have reached your destination!”
He slowed his car down to a crawl. Looking to the right, he saw a gorgeous apartment building, one that resembled a boutique hotel or honeymoon destination. A sign stood over its rod-iron fence that read ‘The Roosevelt.’ To his left was the Pacific Ocean. Coincidentally enough, Ben had visited this beach every summer as a kid. Childhood memories flashed through his head, but they were quickly overwhelmed by anticipation. He was moments away from seeing his Queen’s apartment for the first time.
Lost in a daydream, Ben suddenly had to slam on the brakes to avoid driving through a stop sign. A group of college kids crossing the street didn’t seem to notice. Three girls skipped towards the sand in their crop tops and denim shorts. Bikini strings and long brown hair bounced behind them. The two boys following carried their beach chairs and coolers.
Ben gulped and turned on his blinker. Shaking legs and sweaty palms made parallel parking more difficult that it had to be. When he finally turned the car off and paid the meter, he checked his watch. 12:52.
Perfect timing.