so after d cooked me a really nice breakfast i decided i had better take care of my own moms. i took a bunch of pictures of the kids and d, p, 'renzo and i went to kinko's to print them. i went to the machine (was confused briefly) and then started to pick/print about 5 bajillion pictures. d wrangled the kids. they were happy and giggling and squealing and being generally good natured. there was only one other customer in the whole store, a frumpy 60ish woman working at the paper cutter.
lady: wow, some people are trying to work here. those kids are being TOO loud. you need to take them outside. they shouldn't be in here!
*d & i look at each other*
d: uh, i'm pretty sure this is a public place...
lady: they're being rude! teach them some respect. i feel sorry for their teachers.
*d scowls at her, turns to the kids and walks them to the door*
d: that old lady says we need to go outside guys! come on...
*they go outside and i stay to finish the printing*
lady, muttering loudly, sarcastically: oh, mean old lady asking the kids to behave! mean old lady would never allow kids like that in her classroom! (and on and on until my head is ready to explode.) i feel sorry for anyone who has to deal with those little...
me: excuse me, those are my kids you're talking about.
lady: well, you need to teach your kids to behave. i'm a teacher and i'd hate to have them in my classroom!
me: you cannot even begin to imagine how insulting that is. it's mother's day. please don't speak that way about my children.
lady: well that man shouldn't have said that.
me: that man is my husband (easier than explaining m'kay?) don't insult -
lady: then you need to talk to his mother about how she parented him.
me: it's mother's day. please.
lady: blah blah blah *under her breath...*
me: nevermind...
let me emphasize that the kids were acting totally appropriately for a four year old and not quite two year old. a couple of years ago i wouldn't have engaged in something like this. i would have let her talk that way about my family and then stewed about it for days. loudly and to everyone i know ;) ...but i wouldn't have said anything.
namaste you nasty old woman!
lady: wow, some people are trying to work here. those kids are being TOO loud. you need to take them outside. they shouldn't be in here!
*d & i look at each other*
d: uh, i'm pretty sure this is a public place...
lady: they're being rude! teach them some respect. i feel sorry for their teachers.
*d scowls at her, turns to the kids and walks them to the door*
d: that old lady says we need to go outside guys! come on...
*they go outside and i stay to finish the printing*
lady, muttering loudly, sarcastically: oh, mean old lady asking the kids to behave! mean old lady would never allow kids like that in her classroom! (and on and on until my head is ready to explode.) i feel sorry for anyone who has to deal with those little...
me: excuse me, those are my kids you're talking about.
lady: well, you need to teach your kids to behave. i'm a teacher and i'd hate to have them in my classroom!
me: you cannot even begin to imagine how insulting that is. it's mother's day. please don't speak that way about my children.
lady: well that man shouldn't have said that.
me: that man is my husband (easier than explaining m'kay?) don't insult -
lady: then you need to talk to his mother about how she parented him.
me: it's mother's day. please.
lady: blah blah blah *under her breath...*
me: nevermind...
let me emphasize that the kids were acting totally appropriately for a four year old and not quite two year old. a couple of years ago i wouldn't have engaged in something like this. i would have let her talk that way about my family and then stewed about it for days. loudly and to everyone i know ;) ...but i wouldn't have said anything.
namaste you nasty old woman!