There comes a time when you know you are a grown-up. One never knows where or when that will be or what crazy thing will trigger this revelation but when it happens, it is bittersweet.
My best friend’s daughter was being inducted into the NHS and of course I wanted to witness this ceremony. My daughter and I went and we sat with my BFFFLE (An acronym the girls made up “Best Freaking Friend Forever Life and Eternity!) and her younger daughter. Her husband sat behind us. The ceremony was touching as teachers, coaches, and school administrators had selected students to talk about. They recalled meeting the student, what the student’s beliefs are and touched on the ways that each student met the strenuous criteria for being honored with this award. It was a lovely evening…….and then it happened.
A woman who I did not know and do not recall noticing before this evening, came to stand in front of me and asked me what my f***ing problem was. I was still sitting and asked her “Who the heck are you?” and she continued with her tirade and said I needed to stop talking about her daughter. I was appalled. Here we were in the middle of this prestigious event and a mother of one of the inductees went on the attack. She even got physical. And then she made her gravest mistake……she called my daughter a b****. I do believe that is when I attacked back. No foul words. No yelling. Just a firm tug and the comment “Don’t you ever speak to me or my daughter like that again!”. But she kept on. Her last remark before trying to leave was “F*** you, you fat a**** b****!” Now as most of you know, I am on a diet. so aside from her stating the obvious, her comment took her to the lowest level I have ever witnessed a human being going at a public event and I am an Army Brat who has traveled the world. My daughter was in tears. My best friend tried to find a way to help. Others around are now fully aware of this altercation and I am torn between my youth and my adulthood. As she leaves I grab the principal and tell him that he needs to intervene because at this point I am not quite sure which way I was going with this. She continued her tirade in front of the principal and all the while I am asking her “What are you talking about?” And she just kept with the expletives. She was a lovely example for her newly inducted daughter….and I told her this. As she was being told to leave she tried one last attempt to get me to hit her. Yes, you read that right. She kept saying hit me, “Hit me, go ahead and touch me!” the entire time. Then she called me another name and that is when my youth could not be contained any longer and I started to go after her and told her that this was now enough and I was just going to have to kick her…well, you know. Then she said that was a threat and she was getting the police. I told her it was a good thing since she was going to need them.
The entire evening had been ruined. I did not get to take pictures of my lovely daughter #2. People were all talking about it and I am mortified that my daughter and I are associated with this altercation. For those that did not see the entire course of events, it may appear that I was equally involved and for that I am sorry. It was a sad, sad night. Aside from the fact that we now know the ghetto has invaded our home town, I realized I have lost my youth. In this case, that was a good thing. Had this happened 10 years earlier, I would be writing this blog from a jail cell. The adult in me allowed this woman to make a complete fool of herself and of her poor daughter. I am sorry it happened and that I was involved and even though I wish I would have just let her go on and on and done nothing, I know that I would not have been able to live with myself. It is not who I am. I am a “mom” and I protect my family and friends at all costs.
The kid in me wanted to teach this crazy woman a lesson in proper etiquette. The adult in me knew that there is no hope for her. For some reason my daughter and I are a threat to her and she needed to lash out. Her vulgar display will be remembered by those that saw it for years to come. To quote my daughter “I have never, ever, ever, ever seen anything this bad in my life and I played basketball for Storm and I live with you, mom!” …..I guess Raychel has heard stories about my youth! J
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