Where's the trash can!?
Friday after school I had to bring Colin on an errand with me to West Hartford Center. I was excited to get a snack at Cosi, and be outside for a bit too, since it was so nice!!!
BUT -- as soon as I pulled into the parking lot (the one behind Barcelona/BarTaco if you know WeHa at all) Colin pooped. A nice stinky, smelly poop (TMI?), and he was damn proud. His newest thing is to say "uht-oh Mommy" whenever he poops.... and there were a lot of "uht-oh's" coming from the back seat....
So, since I didn't know the bathroom situation in the office where we were going I changed him quick in the backseat, I've done it before, I'll do it again... It was no biggie.
I left the diaper in the car because I didn't see a trashcan and figured I'd look for one on our walk out of the lot, and then throw it out later.
We did our errands, and headed back to the car -- totally forgetting about the diaper sitting in my car!
It was after 5 at this point, and though I had given Colin many snacks, he had his milk, and he had his Elmo -- he wanted to be home. He wanted to be in his high chair, eating all his dinner, and drinking all his milk -- thus, getting him in his car seat was going to be a struggle (a post all it's own).
I got him in, with minimal screaming or tears from both of us. It was a sweaty and awesome victory!
I took a deep breath, and it hit me.. THE DIAPER! It SMELLLLLLLED. I grabbed it, and looked around quickly for a garbage can. There was one super close so I ran towards it to toss the bioazard away! It was a mere 25 feet away maybe.... far enough that I shut the door of the car, close enough that I could see Colin the whole time, and that I left my purse on the stroller, both still outside of the car!
When I turned to head back to the car I saw a woman staring into my car window!
I was not gone for more than 30 seconds. My purse and my stroller were both still outside of the car, my keys were in my hand, oh and I was jogging, with a diaper in my hand not 5 seconds prior.
I saw her looking in my car at Colin and looking angry.
I ran the 15 remaining feet back towards my car yelling at her! "Excuse me, can I help you! That's my child in there!" The woman yelled towards me, "I am very worried that you left your child in the car!"
"Left my child in the car? I went to throw away his diaper." "Oh, No!," said the woman. "I saw you walk away from the car, I knew you were going to leave him behind." "That is so stupid, my purse, and stroller are sitting on the ground next to the car door". She wasn't backing down from my evidence -- "I was going to call the police," she said. "That's stupid too, I said -- because I'm clearly coming right back." I am now literally throwing things into my car to get the hell out of there, this woman was crazy, and I didn't want to engage with her. Yes, I put my child safely in the car THEN went to throw something away. Yes I told her she was stupid twice (not my proudest moment). And YES I would do it all again -- except next time I would tell the woman to mind her own god damn business.
I made a judgement call, to leave Colin alone in the car for 30 seconds -- and maybe others would have taken the baby back out of the car, grabbed the diaper and walked back to the garbage with the baby, but that wasn't the call I made. Also, those people probably have perfect babies, because getting Colin out of the car at this point was NOT an a bridge I was willing to cross. He was already in his car seat, I could see the trash can.... I dunno -- I just didn't see this as a big deal. Maybe this "incident" reminded the woman of the horrific things we've seen on the news of parents "forgetting" their children in the car, and I GET THAT.
But she assumed, and you know what they say when you assume....
So, since I didn't know the bathroom situation in the office where we were going I changed him quick in the backseat, I've done it before, I'll do it again... It was no biggie.
I left the diaper in the car because I didn't see a trashcan and figured I'd look for one on our walk out of the lot, and then throw it out later.
 |
| Just a cute picture -- for a "crappy" situation. |
It was after 5 at this point, and though I had given Colin many snacks, he had his milk, and he had his Elmo -- he wanted to be home. He wanted to be in his high chair, eating all his dinner, and drinking all his milk -- thus, getting him in his car seat was going to be a struggle (a post all it's own).
I got him in, with minimal screaming or tears from both of us. It was a sweaty and awesome victory!
I took a deep breath, and it hit me.. THE DIAPER! It SMELLLLLLLED. I grabbed it, and looked around quickly for a garbage can. There was one super close so I ran towards it to toss the bioazard away! It was a mere 25 feet away maybe.... far enough that I shut the door of the car, close enough that I could see Colin the whole time, and that I left my purse on the stroller, both still outside of the car!
When I turned to head back to the car I saw a woman staring into my car window!
I was not gone for more than 30 seconds. My purse and my stroller were both still outside of the car, my keys were in my hand, oh and I was jogging, with a diaper in my hand not 5 seconds prior.
I saw her looking in my car at Colin and looking angry.
I ran the 15 remaining feet back towards my car yelling at her! "Excuse me, can I help you! That's my child in there!" The woman yelled towards me, "I am very worried that you left your child in the car!"
"Left my child in the car? I went to throw away his diaper." "Oh, No!," said the woman. "I saw you walk away from the car, I knew you were going to leave him behind." "That is so stupid, my purse, and stroller are sitting on the ground next to the car door". She wasn't backing down from my evidence -- "I was going to call the police," she said. "That's stupid too, I said -- because I'm clearly coming right back." I am now literally throwing things into my car to get the hell out of there, this woman was crazy, and I didn't want to engage with her. Yes, I put my child safely in the car THEN went to throw something away. Yes I told her she was stupid twice (not my proudest moment). And YES I would do it all again -- except next time I would tell the woman to mind her own god damn business.
I made a judgement call, to leave Colin alone in the car for 30 seconds -- and maybe others would have taken the baby back out of the car, grabbed the diaper and walked back to the garbage with the baby, but that wasn't the call I made. Also, those people probably have perfect babies, because getting Colin out of the car at this point was NOT an a bridge I was willing to cross. He was already in his car seat, I could see the trash can.... I dunno -- I just didn't see this as a big deal. Maybe this "incident" reminded the woman of the horrific things we've seen on the news of parents "forgetting" their children in the car, and I GET THAT.
But she assumed, and you know what they say when you assume....
You make an ass out of "u" and me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Has anyone else ever had an experience like this? I honestly didn't think anything of it until this one person (a stranger) made me re-think my decision. I've even left Colin happily in his car seat to run up to the ATM -- on the outside of the bank. Hmmmmm.... I have no answers -- this just bothered me all weekend.... I guess I was in the wrong -- but I'm really pleased that I responded to this woman with a mature "YOU'RE STUPID". ughhhhhh I'm the worst!
Comments
Post a Comment