Last night was a beautiful cool night. The kids were playing outside and we'd gotten the little peg perego jeep out and running for the first time in a couple of weeks. Justin was home from work and getting changed and Matt was up from his last nap of the day. I walked in to get him and when I returned I heard a car honk from what sounded like the driveway. We weren't expecting anyone so I assumed it was at the neighbor's - some carpool or something. Little did I expect when I left the back porch and walked around the front of the house to be barraged by the stream of honking and words that were to follow. I didn't know what had happened and was standing there holding a baby, but what I saw was Erick driving Audrey in the jeep up the driveway, and I could see he was really shaken up. A buick was stopped in the street with the windows down, and the two older women inside were yelling at me to keep my kids out of the road, and not in a nice, neighborly way. Wanting to give both sides the benefit of the doubt I didn't know what to say, and they pulled away and I began to put together what had happened. Luckily our good neighbors across the street were having a family party, so between the kid and adult eye-witnesses I was able to put the story together, because Erick was so upset he refused to talk to anyone and went straight to his room for the night.
Apparently, Erick was in the street with the jeep, yes, but he was pulled over to one side where there was clearly enough room for any car to pass. The car approached him from behind, and he didn't know it was there. That's when the honking began, but I promise it wasn't a light tap on the horn. He pulled up onto the grass (we have no sidewalks) but the car wouldn't move. She then rolled down her window and started yelling at him, and kept honking at his receeding back to make sure I'd come out, affording her the opportunity to share her angry opinions with me, as well.
So the kid was in the road. We do have a rule about that because other neighbors have suggested it, but let me tell you - this is not a busy street. But regardless, honestly, we wait for people in cities to parallel park all the time without laying on the horn - she couldn't have afforded two little kids the same common courtesy? This lady pulled up behind two young children and terrified them to the point that my son went straight to a fetal position on his bed and has been throwing up since about 4am. I finally gave him Mylanta suspecting stomach acid and he seems to have calmed down. I don't care who you are, it was entirely uncalled for and I'm furious. So, tell me, I know I should drop it and make nice (I guess the car turned into a cul-de-sac up the road, so this nice person could be a neighbor I'll run into again), but what I really want to do is paint her car with peanut butter. What would you do?
Our neighborhood party is next week.
14 comments:
I'd go with the peanut butter. Or maybe rotten eggs?
You want me to call Cousin Vito?
I think a good Egging is needed....i could come help! Oh BTW Erin is getting baptized Saturday at 11 if your are interested in a trip out here.
I'd go with crunchy. Maybe it will leave little scratches.
Holy smokes! I'm with Things' Mommy. Extra crunchy.
Poor thing! Is Erick doing better?
OMG, I feel so bad. I would be furious! I can't believe that happened...it's too bad that lady had to be so nasty. Love thy Neighbor as thyself, man thats really hard sometimes, especially when it involves your kids.
Right now I don't feel too badly that I don't really know any of my neighbors.I got a little teary thinking of that poor boy being terroized. He's such a good kid; he doesn't deserve that. Oh, and I'm coming out your way sometime this week for computer help. Can you email my your phone # again so I can call you & see if you're free? amy_rhoades@charter.net
Put a sign in your yard that says, "Caution: Children Playing!"
Then, put a clearly homemade sign written in crayon immediately below it that says, "And if you have a problem with that, we'll be happy to replace the children in the street with shards of broken glass. You mean old lady!"
Okay, I think the sign's a great idea! Justin thinks there are so many original owners in our neighborhood they've forgotten they don't live in a retirement community. And I'm sure their kids played in the street when they were little. Oh well!
I would like their address. I think perhaps I can think of something besides peanut butter to put on her car. Actually, I'm not sure that this wouldn't qualify as harassment. Thought about calling the local police dept. and filing harassment charges?
I'm thinking about hiding in the bushes by the door of her house with a fog horn--whenever she comes out I'll blast the horn and then shout obscenities at her at the top of my lungs--I'll also have a bat--just to even out the intimidation factor...
I am so disturbed. I cannot get the image (imagined, of course) of your sweet Eric throwing up in such trauma. My natural instinct is comes from the 'mother bear' in me and it is not at all nice. Oh, the words I might have with that lady on Eric's behalf. Then I think of the real damage that could have on potential meetings (who know's?). Then, I thought, what a great missionary opportunity (not for the mean lady), but for your neighbors who witnessed the event. I'm not suggesting that a confrontation of some sort is not needed, just that if you can truly put your 'will' aside and handle this in a Christlike manner, it could impact those around you, not to mention your sweet Eric.
Okay, then the sad image comes back and I am disturbed all over again. This is a time when I am so relieved that I am not the one who has to make the decision. Sorry to ramble, I just needed to get that off my chest.
I think that is just the meanest, cruelest thing I've ever heard. Who does that to two little kids. All peanut butter and front yard signs aside, I seriously think that it would be a good idea for you and Justin to find out who these people are and go see them. I think they need to know the trauma they've caused Erick, but I also think that this would give them a chance to speak their minds. If you go over and allow them to meet you and to know your names, perhaps it will be harder for them to be so mean when they think of you as the "Finlinsons" and not just "the new family with all the kids". Just an idea. I think that to sit down and attempt to have an adult conversation is a good idea. Who knows what they'll pull next time if you don't address this incident.
Okay, so maybe you have come up with an answer by now, but I'd say peanut butter would be WAY too nice. I'd go with something that creates more of a serious problem.
What an evil woman. To be yelling at two kids, honking the horn and being totally vicious, it shows she's someone to be avoided. People like that are awful because they KNOW they are right and everyone else is wrong.
So sorry Erick was so traumatized and sick.
Not sure what to do long term, but if you ever run into her again, I would have a hard time not yelling back.
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