Last weekend started out wonderfully. I met Junkyard Jennifer for the first time, and she was just as fabulous in real life as she is on her blog. And her kids are just as adorable as they appear in her pictures! (It was so nice to meet you, Jennifer!!)
Then, I had a wonderful dinner out with Mr. Punky and Bub. It was all going so well; it felt like a golden day.
Then I ran to the grocery store for a few things. I walked by the Nutella and decided I needed to have it. It was on the top shelf, but that didn’t matter. I maneuvered my ever-growing belly and stood on my tiptoes to reach that delicious, chocolate goo.
I saw two young guys coming toward me and watching me as I strained to reach the Nutella. One muttered something under his breath, and they laughed. I suspected it might be about me. Then as they passed, the other one said, “Aw, come on, man. Don’t make fun of the baby.”
Gulp. He had said something about me. Me and my (yes-I-know-it’s-already-huge) belly.
My first reaction was to swear at them under my breath. “Asshole.”
But then I felt the tears coming. I willed them away. I bit my lower lip. I finished my shopping.
I got into my car, and I cried.
Then I went home and told Bub, “I hope you never grow up to be one of those boys who treats people like that.”
“And I’m going to try my darnedest to make sure you don’t.”
A neighbor of mine lets her kids have a lemonade stand every year. There is a group of HS football players who ALWAYS buy lemonade from the kids. I want THOSE boys. Not the crappy pieces of junk you bumped into at the store. I hope you drowned your sorrow in that nummy Nutella. Maybe the purpose of that painful incident was to remind you who you want Bub to grow up to be. There’s no chance he’s going to be those boys, ma’am. No chance at all. Love you!
Ugh- how rude. People who make others feel bad or ashamed are the pits. I like that you turned it into a learning moment- Bub is lucky to have you as his mom. :)
Fun that you and Jen got to meet!