One day, a post-it attached to my car - 'Oil check required'

Parking Habits

There is a spot I always look for when parking. Even when the parking lot is completely empty, I strangely find myself heading to that spot. It's like my own 'lucky spot.' On the third floor, near the entrance, and right next to the wall. However, a few months ago, something strange started to catch my eye in that spot. Every time I parked there, there was something black stained on the ground. I thought someone must have spilled something and brushed it off without much concern.

Unexpected Discovery

Last Friday evening. As I was about to get into my car to leave work, I noticed a small post-it stuck to the driver's side window. On the fluorescent yellow note, it was written in big letters: 'Oil check required.' 'What’s this?' At first, I thought someone was playing a prank on me. But the car had been acting a bit strange lately. Since it was around the time for an oil change, I felt uneasy and stopped by the repair shop on Saturday morning.

Shocking Diagnosis from the Repair Shop

The mechanic inspected the vehicle and then cautiously said after a moment, 'There's quite a bit of oil leaking. You'll need to go to a larger garage for a check-up.' Suddenly, the 'black stains' I had seen before flashed through my mind. That very parking spot. The one I liked so much. The traces that were there. Ah, that was my car. The culprit of those stains was none other than 'me.'

Heart of Apology and Gratitude

I felt my face flush with embarrassment and apology. It seems that the cleaning staff has been struggling to wipe away the oil stains left by my car every time. Eventually, they must have reached the point where they quietly conveyed a message through a Post-it note. They might have checked the CCTV. It must have been difficult to speak directly, so how polite and indirect the complaint was.

New Parking Habits

The more I thought about it, the more grateful I felt. If it had been me, I might have just overlooked it, or perhaps I would have gotten angry and reported it to the management office. But that person quietly and very gently warned me. Thanks to that, I was able to check my vehicle in advance and prevent a bigger accident. Since then, I have been parking my car in a different place.

Precious warning

And that stained spot has become clean in no time. That Post-it note from back then is still in my car. I carefully peeled it off and placed it in the glove compartment. I couldn't bring myself to throw it away for no reason. Some kind reminders linger in memory far longer than nagging.

Looking from a broad perspective

And today, I carefully start the engine again. From now on, I shouldn't just insist on parking spots, but also be mindful of the ground as I live. There are more people in the world than I thought who help us silently. That small post-it reminded me of that.