For some reason I cant stop thinking about this (thought it might make you smile):
A couple days ago I was running into a big box store (Ok, fine, it was Micheals, but I was there with a purpose). The parking lot was dead so I parked waaaay out in the middle of the lot, no cars anywhere near me.
When I came back, a mini van had pulled right up next to me. I always think that's so weird. There are a million spots & you park right next to someone. But it doesn't make me mad, I just think it's weird.
So I'm struggling to get Miles into his car seat because I cant open my door too much or I'll hit this van. And as I am putting him in the owner of the van walks up to her vehicle and says
" Ummmmm, excuuuse me, I need to get into my van."
Her tone of voice was not nice & it surprised me. When I looked up I saw she was holding a little girl and I thought "Oh, she's having a bad day."
So I hate confrontation. I hate it. But I have Miles 1/2 way into his seat so I said "Sure, just one sec, I am putting my baby into his car seat." And I said it real sweet (because, I hate confrontation).
At which point she made this noise
"Uuuuagghhaah"
And opened her front passenger door and climbed over each seat until she got to the very back of her car!!!!! Making that noise the whole time! I squished into the driver seat of my car and looked over. She was hanging over the seat glaring at me. And I BURST out laughing. Like, she looked ridiculous. So stupid. And she was maaad at me.
Laughed all the way home.
(Quick poll: If you're putting your child into his car seat, it IS rude for someone to ask you to move right? I mean, if you were there first?)
9 comments:
Yup, it is totally rude. Have a little bit of patience and wait for you. I'm with you why did she park so close!
HAHAHAHA! Hilarious. SHE made her day worse, not you! Love it.
HA HA! What a great experience. Sometimes you have to have those to really understand how stupid and ridiculously rude some people are. I say ridiculous because what was waiting two more minutes for you going to do to her life? Completely ruin it?
Probably.
Oh Haley you handled it so much nicer than I would have...too bad you dislike confrontation so! You needed me riding shotgun - we would have made her day worse! mmuuaahhhhahahaha!
I would have made a huge production of taking my kid out of his carseat super slowly so I could then allow her the chance.... Then I would stand behind her van so she couldn't leave. Yep... I am that kind of girl.
wow I bet she threw a hissy in the playground when she couldn't get a swing too! and the worst part is she's teaching that behaviour to her kid. I would of reacted the same way you did (I hate confrontation too) but I think I would of snapped a picture of her hanging over her back seat as I drove away :)
Yes it is totally rude.
A few years ago I was at University in Halifax and went to the Walmart there for something, I think a cork board. They were on the top shelf, which I couldn't reach. No salespeople in sight. So I was precariously trying to reach, on my tip toes, at which point a lady with a baby in a cart proceeded to initiate this conversation with the baby.
"Oh Ethan, look at that stupid Lady. She is going to crash that whole thing down on her head. Look how dumb she is being! What a stupid lady. She should wait for help like we are doing, because we want one of those too. But we are going to wait, oh look! The whole thing is going to fall on that dumb lady!"
I hate confrontation too. Usually if it occurs (or there is the potential for it to occur) my heart starts racing and I start to shake. Fight or flight in overdrive. (PS, Jeff had never heard of that saying until a few weeks ago. wth?)
I managed to get one down, then looked at her, with all of the rage of my 21 yr old self and said "You are the stupid one, talking to your child like that. You should be ashamed of yourself, I feel sorry that your kid has you for a mother."
That is the single best thing I have ever done--I felt so much better!
(Ps WTH is my new polite version of wtf)
You handled it very appropriately. I think I probably would have said something more to her, nicely though of course. It's sad that instead of her seeing a chance to be patient and understanding, she saw a chance to be rude and ignorant. I feel pity for her...and her daughter.
Almost the same thing happened to me yesterday, and since I had read your story, all I could do was smile. A lady who had parked right next to me was walking by while I was taking Anna's carseat out of the stroller to put her in the car. The lady (old, white-haired) walked slowly by, looking at the baby, and then said, "Close your car door, I want to move my car." I told her I was just putting the baby in, and then she said, "You haven't even picked the baby up yet, close your door NOW." So, I just kept doing what I was doing, got Anna in the car, and the lady pulled out and sped off. Clearly she was having a bad day - or maybe she is just a grumpy person. Pretty silly. I can't believe there is more than one person out there who acts like this!!
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