I am so furious that I’m almost speechless! Almost!
I just stepped over to the convenience store near my hotel. When I came out of the store, the most adorable little girl (maybe two years old), smiled at me and waved from her car seat in the back of her car. Such a happy little girl! I waved back, and she started to flirt.
Then, all my senses went into Red Alert.
That child was sitting in a car alone! The car’s engine was running, with the front window down, and NO ADULT WAS IN SIGHT! Well, no adult who seemed associated with that car. There were plenty of folks who were stopping to get gasoline or driving by the store. Some of them looked like pretty unsavory characters.
I walked away, but had to stop and turn back. I was worried about that little girl! I decided to “stand guard.” I stood there for fully five minutes waiting for a parent to appear. Nada. Zip. No one. I didn’t have my cell phone, or I would have called 911.
I went into the convenience store and told the clerks about her and we looked around the store for a parent. There seemed to be no one in the store.
Then the bathroom door opened, and out stepped a woman.
I started to keep my mouth shut. It wasn’t my business…or was it? Oh, heck. My mouth wouldn’t stay shut. I lost control.
“Is that your child in that car out there?” I asked, in a very incredulous tone of voice. “You know, the car that has the keys in the ignition and the window down?”
She just waved her hand in dismissal, kept walking past me, and mumbled, “She’s alright.”
I was livid!
I said, “Yes, she is, no thanks to you. In the time you took to go potty, she could be gone! For God’s sake, I could have snatched her if I wanted her! You were in the bathroom where you couldn’t even see her!”
She just shook her head and acted like I was out of my mind.
I just turned on my heel and walked out the door. But, I was muttering very loudly. OK, I was shouting. Most of what I said is unprintable, but I did yell out for all the world to hear, “That woman is an idiot! She has no business taking care of a child.”
[Note: Probably that wasn't smart on my part...the woman looked like the type who might be packing a gun.]
What would you have done?
Other posts you might enjoy:
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Taken the keys and let the cops sort it out. Just saying. You have to have a license to have a dog, but not a child. I would have been furious too. Big hug.
Comedy Pluss last blog post..Is There Baseball In Heaven?
Dang, Sandee. Why didn’t I think of taking the keys! I like your style!
Same as comedy plus…problem is you never know who has a gun in your country and that is scary, be well…ciao
rosittas last blog post..Still Down For The Count
Indeed, Rositta, you are right. And, I’m in a part of Houston where guns abound! But, I can’t believe that woman was that stupid. I’ve seen snakes with more maternal instinct than that!
Ask the clerk to call the police? Take the plate number?
Unbelievable! Glad you said something.
Jennymcbs last blog post..Winding down or a Lull before the Action?
I’m so brainless! I SHOULD have gotten the plate number!!!
I don’t know Shelly, I probably would have done what you did, stand guard and wait. I would not have approached the woman, she has no regard for her child’s life why should she care about you and what you have to say? I would have thought about taking her plate down and calling the police. If I had my phone, I might have called 911. I probably would have come home and ranted to my husband and on my blog but in this day and age I would not have approached a stranger and ranted her out.
I know you are a passionate woman and she totally deserved a tongue lashing and more, but yeesh woman be careful – we want you to stick around awhile longer.
Coris last blog post..Eeeek!
You will be pleased to know that I did restrain myself a bit. I wish I had gotten the license plate #. If I had carried my cell phone with me, I’d have called 911. My urge was to rant a little more & get the clerks to call the cops…but it is a rough part of Houston….
Oh wow…me, I would call 911, no if’s, ands or buts. People can be fined if they leave their dog in the car unattended, how in the world can they be allowed to get away with leaving their child in a car? It amazes me in todays world that a parent would even think about doing that!! What an absolute idiot.
As for your safety I’m glad you restrained yourself, Houston is not the safest place. I understand your frustration though….I would have had a hard time myself. Stay safe!
YellowRoses last blog post..Wordless Wednesday – “The Birds”
You’re darn tootin’ that Houston isn’t the safest place! And, a convenience store parking lot can be pretty scary! The woman was an imbecile! The convenience store clerks were as dumbfounded as I was, and none of us had the wits to do anything. Man, that kid needed child protective services to step in!
I would have climbed in the passenger seat and carried on my conversation with the girl while I waited for her parent.
After all, if the keys are there, it’s not as if you were breaking and entering. And since you would be sititng in the passenger seat, it’s not like she can accuse you of carjacking.
Some people need an object lesson!
Although, I do like the idea of having the clerk call 911, taking the keys and letting the cops sort it all out. That might have been safer.
Ambers last blog post..Trip to May Farms
I would have had the clerk call 911. And I would have taken down the license plate number and told the woman that the police had been called and she would have to wait, noting that leaving would only make her problems worse because I had her license plate. (And then I would have had my husband absolutely kill me for taking a chance like that with someone who could have easily been armed.)
patoiss last blog post..Wordy Wednesday #36: Blame the Mother
Excellent idea! Except for that part with your husband
I wish I had been thinking better.
It’s absolutely horrible to hear of parents doing that. So many children have died from being left in a car. What on earth was she thinking. I know one time when my children were young I ran to an instant teller and it took me 2 minutes(car not running) and I parked as near as I could(right in front of the door) and I felt horrible, I watched the whole time and I never did it again. Thankfully now you can use your debit card everywhere – this was pre-interac time.
I think what you did was justified – now I don’t know what exactly you said, but I can understand the anger coming out. I probably would have thought the thoughts but not verbalized them. I most likely would have got to a phone and called 911 – taken note of the license plate in case she left before they got back.
Some people – and yet others can’t have children, makes me shake my head.
Tea, at least when you got out of the car you could see your kiddos. THIS woman must have been in the potty for 10 minutes! And, you don’t want to know what I said. It wasn’t very pretty. However, it also wasn’t smart! For all I knew, that woman could have had a gun and shut me up for good!
I guess I would have asked the clerk to call 911 as I wrote down the make and model, color and license plate of the car. Also any distinguishing marks on the car.
Then even if the woman wasn’t willing to listen to the horrible
mistake she was making, I would fill the police in on the details.
I think with any sort of child endangerment the police have to involve child services… but that is here in California.
Once I found some cutie pie small dogs in a car without even the window cracked. I did go into the store and ask the manager to announce over the loud speaker about the dogs and if the owner could come to the front of the store. She was embarrassed and rightly so! She should be! I calmly RAILED ON HER about how inhumane her actions were and that she should pay attention to how thirsty her dogs will be once they got home.
I don’t understand these people.
You’re a hero in my book! You did the best you could with what you had.
Well, thank you, Metta, but after looking at the comments I realize I didn’t have my wits about me! If I had just carried my purse, I would have had my phone and a pen….but if a frog had wings he wouldn’t bump his butt when he tried to get around.
!
I’m glad you had the woman with the dogs called over the loudspeaker. I’d have loved to stand there beside you and rail at the woman
In a similar situation I did call 911. The police were waiting for that parent at the car. At least yours didn’t lock her in the car with the windows rolled up. Way too many children die that way.
I wish I had been carrying my phone. Days later, I’m still angry. Did the parent in your case get arrested?
911, for sure. I don’t even think twice about shit like that. It makes me crazy (especially now, if you can imagine. Hell, it’s all I can do to restrain myself from grabbing parent’s and shaking them when they walk away from their cart with a baby or toddler in it. I want to scream “You f-ing idiot! Don’t you know how fast that precious baby can be gone? Don’t even blink!!”)
Thornes last blog post..Values?? Ya think?
I know what you mean, but down in Houston you have to be careful…heck, I guess anywhere you have to be careful, eh?
{ 1 trackback }