Why Did The Tired Mommy Cross The Road?
We have to cross a busy road to get to our house from our walks to “town” and if I got a quarter for every time I waited for several minutes while cars zoomed past us, I wouldn’t blink an eye whenever I hit the “Checkout” button on Nordstrom.com.
It gets my blood boiling, the waiting. Not because I hate to wait, but because these single-occupant vehicle drivers are SO completely oblivious, texting, and/or rude that I wonder what’s so urgent in their life that they don’t have 30 seconds to slow down for the LITERAL FUTURE. I AM RAISING THE FUTURE HERE, PEOPLE. Sometimes I see them see me and they make a scrunched up “Oopsie” face. If I make eye contact with them, I usually stare. Them. Down. as I huff myself across the street. And I shoot them a wave, even when they don’t deserve it. Sometimes, I even go to the middle lane and stand and stare. They still don’t stop. It makes me sad for them.
Because if a tired mommy is crossing the road with her babies in tow, there can only be a few reasons:
She needs a change of scenery
She needs some quiet
It’s been a rough day
D, all of the above
It’s usually D.
I should give these people the benefit of the doubt. I have no idea what their day has been like, what their life is like. But I guess I’m a little jaded about the whole thing. Because it’s so simple to just slowww dowwwwn. Especially for the mommies hauling babies. I’ve been pushing a stroller through a crosswalk 9 months pregnant and been tapped by a car WHILE I WAS WAVING THE CROSSWALK FLAG. I have stood, watched and waited for cars to zoom past and seen people with their noses in their phones or completely checked out. I think these people are selfish and I think they’re rushing for no real reason. I know this because I have a bad habit or hurrying for no real reason. I know how it is. But if I see a tired mommy standing in the middle of the road, I slow down. I wait for her to cross. I do'n’t start speeding up AS she is crossing. I don’t rev my engine. If I’m going around, I give her a wide berth. And if I catch her eye, I give her a little smile.
Because her job is important and her day has probably been harder than mine.
