a few years ago, my toddler son was sitting in the basket part of the cart. I moved our cart off to the right of the aisle, wanting to read some ingredients--gotta check for MSG! Anyway, my son stood up to see what I had in my hand, when to the surprise of both of us, loud screeching filled our ears.
"don't you dare cry!" I heard. a very old woman and her comrade shuffled over to our cart, finger a-waggin, "don't you dare cry when you tip out of that cart" she shoved her wrinkled, angry shouting face into my horrified toddler's face, "crack your head open, break your front teeth and go blind from all the blood filling your eyes!"
thunderstruck at what just happened, I was silent for a moment. the old woman and her companion turned to me, both nodding their head at me, like they had just done me a huge favor--worse than that, like I was in cahootz with them! my toddler looked to me not sure if I was in on this nightmare, looking to me for...something!
surrounded by surprised onlookers, I took a deep breathe and using my "outdoor voice" stated, "please stop shouting at my son, turn around and walk away." the old harpie was mortified. the know-it-all grin slid from her face and the companion pulled on her arm, trying to help her lick her wounds.
there is soooo much that I will put up with in life--so much that I am willing to chalk up to old age, underage, human frailty, immaturity, etc. but, I've decided that no one gets to mess with my children's minds and feel smart and smug doing it.
when the she-devils shriveled away whispering how the younger generation doesn't appreciate the years of wisdom, blah,blah,blah, I turned to my son, his fear gone and a look of gratitude that I will never forget.
Meijer crazies= 0 traci=2
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