Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Some people...

So last night I'm in the check-out line at Wal-Mart, and standing next to me at another register is this family, consisting of a woman in her late 40s to early 50s, a woman in her 20s, and a tiny baby girl, I would guess 4 to 6 weeks old. They are right alongside the counter, with the baby lying in the seat, her head kind of propped up on the side of the basket.

Grandma goes to move the basket up so she can put her bags in. However, since the baby's head is sort of sticking out, and the little checkbook platform is sticking out, Grandma ends up just smashing the side of Baby's head right into the platform. The baby begins to cry, Grandma doesn't seem to understand why the basket isn't moving forward, and Mother says, "Mom, you hit her head!" Mother looks fairly alarmed and tries to comfort her baby.

Grandma goes to pick up Baby. At this point I realize that the baby must be at least a month old, despite her tiny size, because she's able to hold up her head. Grandma, carrying the crying baby, then says, "Shut up. You were going to cry anyway, Grandma just gave you an excuse."

I cannot keep the angry surprise out of my face, and Mother and I exchange looks of quiet outrage at this woman who claims to be "Grandma." Baby does not stop crying, so finally Grandma actually removes the hood of Baby's jacket and starts to check Baby's head. Mother then takes Baby from Grandma, checks her head herself, and rocks Baby a little to comfort her. Eventually Baby settles down enough to take a bottle.

  1. Why was Baby propped up that way in the basket seat instead of in a carrier?
  2. What the hell was wrong with Grandma that she couldn't figure out that basket not moving when I push it + Baby in basket is screaming = something I'm doing to the basket is making Baby cry?
  3. What he HEY-ELL is she doing telling a six week old baby to shut up? If it had been my mom, she'd have been all, "Oh Baby, I'm so sorry, Grandma didn't mean it!" But this woman? Ugh.
  4. Why did Grandma think the baby was going to cry anyway? She wasn't crying at all. She was just barely starting to get a look on her face that said, "I'm hungry," but she hadn't even started really fussing yet.
  5. How did Mom manage not to chew her mother out right there in the store?
  6. Why am I always the one who sees this stuff?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, I left a comment on here earlier this morning, and now it's gone!!!

Basically the jist of it was: Some people shouldn't be allowed within 100ft of babies and kids!

I love babies and kids, and it literally makes me sick to hear stories of them suffering. That stupid grandma!

Sherri said...

OHMIGOD! Just more proof that some people shouldn't procreate.