Snippets of conversations involving the execution of a book party in Bethesda, Maryland, Thursday night…

"We need to leave now because I only put 20 minutes in the meter."

"Whoops, wait…let me just run back inside and get the parking stub validated."

"Double park here and I'll unload the liquor and then you can turn right and right again and park in the garage…But can you park there more than two hours?...You can park there for the rest of your life if you want…"

"I parked in the garage downstair...