Since this thread is still alive, I will do my part to keep it alive. In keeping with the topic, I regularly go to a coffee shop. They have a frequent user card so they know me. A few years back, my kids were 7 and 9, after having a particularly harrowing day chasing down a runaway pet, I went to my happy place, the coffee shop. Upon getting there, I decided to *gasp* leave my children in. the. suv. I parked in front of the window. I could see them as I went in. In case anyone wonders, yes, the suv did have tinted glass windows. I walked right in, they handed me my drink, like I said, they know me. As I turned to leave, a lady wondered who owned said suv. In hindsight, I should have ignored question and just walked right out to my car. But in reality, I stupidly said I did. She proceeded to lecture me about the safety of children in the car: What would happen if something happened to me while I was in here? (I was thinking, they would unbuckle and come and see what was going on). Told me if I didn't want my children, she would take them. Meanwhile she is blocking the door, I couldn't get around her. She was an older lady, and there was a group of some other older ladies sitting at a table. She turns to them and they join, in. All I am thinking is I need to get the h*** out of there and she has now wasted more time with her lecture than if I had just been in and out. I finally just shoved past. ( I could still see my kids the entire time this was happening and they were fine). SKL, having just had a stressful situation happen and heaping another on top, makes for a crappy day. :grouphug:
Later, I talked with a cop and told her the situation. I was concerned about the legalities etc. The cop said if the car is where you can see it and it is no more than 15- 20 minutes, there isn't a problem. If it is hot, leave the windows cracked. Don't leave the keys in the car.
I don't know the women's history and why she was so upset. But I often have wondered if she had a situation where she did that and had something happen to one of her children. I wasn't really as upset about the fact that she was concerned but for the fact that she made a scene so the entire coffee shop started participating and that if she was really concerned, she would have not gone on and on. Seriously, lecture me as I am walking to my car. Don't block the door so it makes an uncomfortable situation even more so. The employees at the coffee shop later told me they couldn't believe what had happened and apologized.
I admit, I am a weird person magnet. Once, before I had children, I was in a fast food place. There was a lady in a wheelchair doing crafts. I talked to her about what she was doing. After about 5 minutes of conversation, she asked if I would like a job helping her get bathed and dressed everyday. Ah...nope. I didn't go back to that fast food place again.