Swaddled in a big winter coat, hat and scarf, she was a slo-mo video of ambulation:
Progress was painfully slow and discouraging to watch. Wouldn't a wheelchair, or better yet, an electric scooter be a much better option, I asked myself? But then, I didn't know this Determined-to-be-ABLE lady. I came alongside to see if she needed assistance.
"No thanks. I'm almost there," she said.
I pulled back her hat a smidge off her brow so her eyes were clear of the brim. Man! She could barely see where she was going.
We stepped-paused-stepped in sync for a bit, until a gentleman came up and said, "Oh, there you are!"
"Is this your mother," I asked, giving him my most winning smile?
He made a noise somewhere between a choke and a gasp. "She's too young to be my mother. She's my wife and I am older than she is."
G R O A N.
Floor, please swallow me whole. I'm dying, or want to be. A classic example of assumptions made, not looking beyond the immediately obvious, to see the real person in front of me. Is there forgiveness for even this????
Left foot planted,
Right foot dragged up to match,
Cane moved forward,
Contracted right arm frozen in place across her middle.
Breath.
Again.
Breath.
Again.
Breath.
"No thanks. I'm almost there," she said.
I pulled back her hat a smidge off her brow so her eyes were clear of the brim. Man! She could barely see where she was going.
We stepped-paused-stepped in sync for a bit, until a gentleman came up and said, "Oh, there you are!"
"Is this your mother," I asked, giving him my most winning smile?
He made a noise somewhere between a choke and a gasp. "She's too young to be my mother. She's my wife and I am older than she is."
G R O A N.
Floor, please swallow me whole. I'm dying, or want to be. A classic example of assumptions made, not looking beyond the immediately obvious, to see the real person in front of me. Is there forgiveness for even this????
5 comments:
Of course there is forgiveness for this. How would you know? Society has mad this darn rule that we are to look much younger than we are, specially if we are women.
Of course. Boyfriend and I have both done this to where we have a rule: he's not allowed to compliment any pregnant looking woman and I'm not allowed to guess anybodies age... ever.
Oh! Man!! ugggg!!! so embarrassing! My father did this one night and I thought he would die right there on the spot! We were out to dinner. My son was just a baby. The couple next to us loved my son so much we sat together and had such a nice night - then on the way out My father said to the man - it's so nice of you to take your mother out to dinner - you treat her so well. The man said "SHE IS MY WIFE!" It turned the whole night sour. Good thing we were leaving. My poor father felt terrible Open mouth switch foot! Love it!!!! Great post!
Of course there is. I can't tell you how many times I have done something similar to this.
What can be worse than congratulating your boss' wife for being pregnant when she's not?????!?!!!
Post a Comment