I don’t get it
Saturday September 17th 2011, 6:10 pm
Filed under: Life

Not your usual Costco shopping trip. We had checked out and were heading towards the door and it was actually less crowded than many a Saturday, when a woman we’d seen earlier, her small daughter in her cart and her mother (I assume) with her, was haranguing them (still) in their language; our guess was it sounded like Chinese.

We had not at any time made eye contact nor interacted in any way except that I had, on the far side of the store a little earlier, smiled briefly at the little girl as we passed by.  She was being well behaved.  Her mother reeked of anger.

I guess I was not walking as fast as the woman wanted me to. I barely saw her coming up from behind just a moment before it happened. There was plenty of space to go around. She instead actively pushed me hard (and my cane, since she was on that side) out of her way. There is no question it was a deliberate act.

Richard was on the other side of the cart and didn’t see till I went flying, totally akimbo, balance blown, grabbing the cart with my other hand to keep from breaking a hip: *I* know what my bone scan looked like after that mega steroid treatment in the hospital, (200 mg/day) even though she could not have.

Everybody behind stopped in horror while those women marched determinedly on, ignoring the fuss.

It was an interesting discussion on the way home: Richard was telling me that co-workers of his had described to him how, in the open-air markets back home, the old women were the worst–they would simply snatch what they wanted out of your hands and didn’t care whose toes they stepped on.

I love that we live in a diverse, culturally rich area. But those people today live here now and you do not assault disabled strangers.

We were too stunned to react (and I was too busy trying not to fall), but for any next time should there be one, my husband and I now have an agreement: next time he will plant his 6’8″ not-small body in front of the woman, who made a point of acting as if she had nothing to do with that and no knowledge of it, and tell her that she is going to wait with us while he calls 911. Because next time I will probably break that hip. I was very fortunate.

Now pardon me, I have a back to go put an icepack on. Good knitting time, at least.

————-

(Added a few hours later, after I’ve had time to process the above and settle down.)

The report I got is that Judy Sumner‘s daughter put on her favorite music this morning, and at the third song, Judy quietly slipped away to be with her waiting husband Len. She would laugh out loud if she heard me say WIP in peace, dear Judy. Thank you for everything.


19 Comments so far
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Good Heavens, That sure blows my belief that other cultures have better manners than we do.I am always quick to say “please excuse me” and “I am sorry” and ‘Can I reach that for you” , Be careful,please.

Comment by kristy phipps 09.17.11 @ 6:58 pm

I gasped when I read what happened to you! I hope you will be ok.

Comment by Jody 09.17.11 @ 7:23 pm

mean people suck.

Comment by Tola 09.17.11 @ 7:42 pm

Oh. My. I do hope your back is feeling better soon, and not strained too badly. And I can’t help wishing that Richard was able to stop them. Beyond rudeness!

Comment by DebbieR 09.17.11 @ 8:11 pm

Not ok in any culture I know of…Glad ice is enough…this time!

Comment by Ruth 09.17.11 @ 9:36 pm

Oh my- that is not good. That is not acceptable, here, there or anywhere. Good thinking to come up with a strategy, if only because then you won’t need it.

RIP, Judy.

Comment by tinebeest 09.17.11 @ 11:27 pm

I do believe a firm warning from the Costco manager is in order. I’m sure it’s still on the security tape and although the incident wouldn’t be enough to pick out a customer acting properly, I’m sure this is just the way they storm around. If the security guards spot any further “rudeness” (assaults?) from these individuals, they should be cautioned that they will be banned from shopping there. I mean it. Bring it to management’s attention.

Comment by LynnM 09.18.11 @ 12:47 am

Yes to all, particularly what the other Lynn said. (If you’d been in a cart, you could have gunned it and returned the favor, LOL. Yes, I know that two wrongs don’t make a right — but three lefts do!)

Comment by Lynn 09.18.11 @ 5:52 am

truly unbelievable! I am thankful that Richard was there to grab you. I can just picture this all happening.

Comment by Sherry in Idaho 09.18.11 @ 6:49 am

Oh, wait, I read it all again. You caught the cart, just in time. Ahhhh, even worse than the first time around.

Comment by Sherry in Idaho 09.18.11 @ 6:50 am

These things, bad enough when they actually happen, are almost even harder to deal with when remembered later, when shock is replaced with utter disbelief that someone would do such a thing! I am glad that you did NOT break a hip, and sorry that you are sore.

I purchased your friend Judy’s book moments ago. So sorry for the loss.

Comment by India 09.18.11 @ 8:10 am

oh no! so glad that you were not seriously injured

Comment by Bev 09.18.11 @ 8:57 am

My goodness, I am so glad you didn’t break anything, and yes, Richard has my permission to plant his frame right in front of them and ask them to do anything he wants.

Comment by Renee 09.18.11 @ 8:59 am

I am so sorry about what happened and hope you will be fine when the stiffness and pain go away.I’m sorry to hear about Judy Sumner. Reading her posts on the kintlist made me feel like I knew her and through the years I had worried when she hadn’t written.
Take care Allison

Comment by debra 09.18.11 @ 9:00 am

In a world where angry people are too common, thankfully angels are also found. I’m sorry to hear that your friend Judy has slipped away, though glad to hear it was peaceful. And glad to hear that you didn’t suffer lasting physical damage, though I am grieved at the psychic distress.

(regardless of my religious beliefs, I am in the camp that angels do exist; perhaps I define them somewhat differently, but the essence remains the same)

Comment by twinsetellen 09.18.11 @ 9:23 am

I don’t care what culture you’re from – rudeness is never acceptable. Pushing ANYONE, let alone someone with a cane, is assault, and I’m so angry about this! I wish I had been there. That woman would have had to answer to me! (Once I made sure you were okay – glad to hear to are.)

Comment by Sandra 09.18.11 @ 10:06 am

Culturally rich? Culturally stupid! Thank Heaven for Richard, and that you didn’t break anything. We need angry people like that like we need another hole in the head!

Comment by Don Meyer 09.18.11 @ 10:10 am

That woman should be more careful. Some people with canes can be really dangerous. In fact, some antique cane have a top that unscrews to reveal a bayonetter. The next cane-carrier she pushes around might not be as nice as you are.

Comment by LauraN 09.18.11 @ 5:06 pm

Oh, I can so sympathize. I shop Costco all the time and the people with the orange bed type carts are the worse as I’m always afraid they will break one of my ankles as they try to shove their way ahead of me. That person certainly was not a good example for her daughter and shame on her for doing that to you.

On another note, I once had someone in a motorized wheelchair holler at me for not walking fast enough with my cane and wanted me to get out of the way in the huge crowd we were in headed for the 4th of July festivities.

Comment by Joansie 09.19.11 @ 5:22 am



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