"You are parked on my private driveway, plugged into my personal charging station," Marcus said, his deep voice carrying a quiet authority. "Why?"
Susan scoffed, resting her left hand on her hip in a classic pose of suburban indignation. She looked at Marcus as if he were being incredibly dense. In her mind, her role in the neighborhood granted her unfettered access to its resources.
"This charger benefits the whole neighborhood," Susan declared, her voice filled with arrogant certainty. She waved her hand dismissively at the wall unit. "There are no public stations within five miles. It is completely unreasonable for you to hoard this infrastructure when others need it."
Marcus stared at her, genuinely astounded by the mental gymnastics required to justify her theft. She wasn't just stealing; she had convinced herself she was morally entitled to do so.
"It's connected to my house, my power, that makes it private," Marcus stated firmly, pointing his finger directly at the electrical conduit running from the charger straight into the brick wall of his garage. "You are stealing my electricity."
Susan’s face flushed red, but her ego refused to back down. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, adopting a defensive, victimized posture. She tilted her chin up, glaring at Marcus through her designer sunglasses.
"You're being difficult over something meant for everyone," she complained, her voice taking on a shrill, whining quality.
Marcus decided the debate was over. He raised his smartphone, turning the screen so she could see it. He tapped a button on the app. On the wall behind Susan, the charger's digital screen suddenly flared to life, flashing the words "UNAUTHORIZED USER" in bright, unmistakable letters.