THIS IS A BLOG ABOUT MY JOURNEY THROUGH MOTHERHOOD AND ALL ITS CRAZYNESS. WHO KNEW?



Wednesday, August 13, 2008

to feel bad... or not to feel bad?

that is the question... for today anyway.


yesterday i was in the grocery store picking up a few things and z asked for some gummie-worms.


i said "no"


he shoved them back on the shelf, crossed his arms, and huffed... mumbling something under his breath i couldn't understand.


anyway, the lady in front of us kept staring at him... then me... then back at him. looking us up and down.


i'm used to us attracting attention... but usually i get a laugh, or a knowing nod or wink. but she relentlessly looked us over with disgust.


i gave her the what-look.... you know the one... shrugged shoulders, hands palm up.


to which she replies... "don't look at me, i'm not the incompetent parent whose child is throwing a fit in the store."


i was actually impressed at the way zach handled that. he was disappointed... but didn't take it to the extreme.


she kept staring at me... expecting a response. obviously looking for a fight.


so i just gave her my most sincere empathetic look and said in my sweetest voice ... "it must be so sad, being you."


she turned bright red and for a second i thought she was going to hit me... then tears welled up in her eyes. she didn't look at me again... finished checking out, then left.


normally i don't think i would have responded... but she happened to catch me at a time when i've been REALLY stressed, tired, and a bit edgy.


plus she was talking about my kid... and that brings out the fighter in me.


the cashier was grinning ear to ear at me.... but i couldn't rejoice. i felt too bad.


i can't help feeling bad.


but then again... people shouldn't go looking for trouble.


i simply do not understand people that obtrusively involve themselves in other's personal business.


i'm EXTREMELY shy, a little anti-social, and somewhat private. yet, i seem to attract all the weirdo's that butt in where they don't belong.


anyway... i'm torn between feeling just in that she got what she deserved... and feeling bad for not just turning the other cheek.

4 comments:

Steph said...

Yeah. I'm torn with you. Part of me says she deserved to be put in her place. But, man, I can't stand to see someone cry, so that would have got me.

I can't believe she said that. But, then again, I guess I could have said something like that to someone if I was having a really, really crappy day. Maybe your response is what she needed to snap out of it. Usually, when the truth hurts that bad, it means it's time for a change.

Anonymous said...

Babe, she got what she deserved. I know what the Lord says. But we are human. She was beyond rude. I would have said, "Take a picture, it'll last longer". I've said it before. ;-) Of course, I'm not one to back down from a confrontation. And I'm very private, too.

Forgive yourself right after you forgive her.

Carrie Maxwell said...

thank's guys... your advice is just what i needed to hear.

:)

Jewels said...

OH MY WORD - Sorry i haven't read your blog in awhile - but really.. i can't believe someone said that! That's ridiculous!

GOOD FOR YOU