If you've ever gone shopping in a mall where mommies are pushing strollers, you know that mommies and their children can be annoying. They unintentionally ram into you. Their children scream. They walk too slow. And they are always frazzled. But let me assure you that mommies with strollers are not nearly as awful as OLD PEOPLE at the grocery store.
Yes, I said it. I know I sound like I'm spewing age discrimination. But it's not discriminatory when you're stating a fact. The fact is, many old people are miserable people to be around at the grocery store!
Now that you're gasping at my political incorrectness, let me explain. It all started when I was 9 months pregnant (and very swollen) with my first child. Let's just say I could barely walk through the store and experienced some blatant rudeness by some senior citizens. The shocking behavior by old people has worsened since I've started shopping with my children. But this weekend it was so bad that I almost had a throw-down with an old lady in the Albertson's parking lot. (And you never want to have a throw-down with a toddler mommy--especially one who went to law school!) Thank goodness my husband was there.
As we walked out of the store with our kids and our full shopping cart, I remember commenting about how empty the parking lot looked compared to when we arrived at the store. We had parked towards the back of the parking lot so that we would be out of the way. Apparently we were out of everyone's way except for one old lady. As we started unloading children and food, this old lady decided to do the parking lot I'm-in-a-hurry-but-I'm-going-to-wait-on-you maneuver. (You so know what I'm talking about.) She parked her car right behind us and acted like she was waiting on the spot next to us. Unfortunately for her, our cart was parked in that spot where my husband was unloading it. Plus, my side door was wide open on that side because my oldest still wasn't buckled in. And then I saw her.
The crazy lady had the audacity to start inching towards that spot. She clearly would have hit both my cart and my car door. But she just kept coming. Despite my high heels, I dashed around to that side of the car, stood in the empty spot and directed her to the 3 empty spots by the front door of the store. I was not about to have her pull into a spot next to my 3 year old who wasn't even buckled in yet! Plus, I was sure she was going to take my door off.
That woman bypassed all of the empty spots, drove all the way around the parking lot, and pulled her car in so that it was facing ours. When I headed off to the cart return, approached her and said "I'm really sorry about all that." She then gave me a nasty look and said "oh I can tell." And then she stomped off. Oh the things I wanted to say at that point!!! But some people aren't worth it. I suppose miserable, impatient people like her need a break every once in a while.
As I was contemplating that incident, I had to wonder how other people perceive me when I'm out in public. I always try to smile and be sweet to the mom who's having a hard time with her kiddos at the store. I try to help the old people who need something they can't reach. And I try my hardest to be polite and pleasant at the check-out. I learned these people skills from my grandmother--a woman who is ALWAYS pleasant in public. Hopefully someday I can be like her. I will be kind to children and loving towards their mommies!
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