Thursday, August 28, 2008

IGNORANCE

I would like to think that every person out there has things that they don't know and things that they know like the back of their hand; their memories are remarkable, they learn quickly.

Some learn by example, some by lecture, some by hands on, no matter, people have a general guideline of what 'Life's Standards' are based on. We don't all learn the same nor do we all know the same things, but the majority of us do have a pretty good idea on the human instinct way of living.


People, I said majority!

This picture was taken downtown Chicago near Wrigley Field during a severe tornado warning/storm this past summer. So severe that they evacuated everyone from within their seats at the stadium and there were tornado sirens going off everywhere. Tornado's were spotted, funnels as well, the wind was crazy and so was the intense rain. Obviously this broad chose not to follow the warnings of 'take cover now' as the warnings had gone off at least 10minutes earlier.
Maybe she has a "thing" for rain.


Or like this woman.
The picture was taken with my cell phone at a BP gas station in a town called Naperville. I'm glad it did turn out grainy because this woman should be ashamed of herself and I'm hoping that she'll never have to learn the hard way. I'm not trying to exploit her, although it's deserving, more so another true definition of ignorance. There is a difference between not knowing and ignorance. The people that are part of the category "not knowing" will learn eventually therefore not ignorant because they are willing to learn. The class of ignorance, well, they chose to make poor decisions that have to do with safety, they learn the hard way no matter how long it takes and by then it's too late.
What's my problem with her? It's hard to tell, but sitting on her lap facing out towards the windshield is a young probably 3 or 4 year old girl. A beautiful Asian girl with black spun pigtails with tiny pink bows, a cute little nose and a precious profile. Sitting on her moms lap in the front seat of the car. Awww, a tender moment, right? You might wish.
I saw them on the road next to us, they moved into our lane, the right lane and then turned into the gas station ahead of us. I made BDD pull next to them to pump our gas and I stared at them the entire time. This woman, the passenger that looked a bit like this precious angel and man that was driving the car were driving around on a terribly busy road with a child sitting on their lap.
There was a boy hanging around in the back. Same thing, unrestrained.

Sure, we didn't have airbags "back in the day," we didn't have special laws about child restraints. But people, we do now and everyone knows it. Sure there are certain states that don't have a booster seat law, or some that aren't that picky about front seat passengers as long as the airbag is turned off, but here in Illinois you don't put your little ones on your lap while out driving with daddy.
The sickest part about all of this is that when dad got into the car and prepared to drive off, he put on his seat belt, as his wife (I am guessing here) sat belted in with a girl squirmy and clearly not restrained.
That's true ignorance.
The last one I have for you is without a picture, thankfully because I would be more then happy to exploit this woman for something that really isn't that big of a deal in the big picture.
Today I met my friend and her little 3 year old son at a McDonald's for them to run around in the play area as we sat and had a coke fix (as I have recently begun that wagon ride again GRR!!).

Near some computerized dance dance mat thing with two screens in front of each square dance pad played my friends son and some boy that just randomly walked up to him. My guess about the age of 5. Much bigger then my three year old little buddy. The boy lunged at my buddy and with a quick reaction, for a 3 year old that is, he held up his hand as if he were a crossing guard saying 'STOP'! The jerky older kid leaned into my buddy's hand and bit him on the palm of his hand. It didn't break the skin, but there was a deep mark when it first happened.
The mom of the biter went to retrieve her punk of a kid and pretty much headed back to their table, where she was previously sitting clueless to what her son was doing, her back turned talking with a group of her friends.
My friend-the mom of my little buddy- bent down and began to initiate a tactical conversation with the punk of a kid as his mom stood behind him looking very annoyed that another parent was discussing the actions of what her son just did to this now bawling three year old who is a tough cookie.
My friend tried making eye contact with this boy as she was kneeling on his level but he wouldn't do it. She expressed that it is not nice whatsoever to bite someone, it's not healthy, and it's not nice. That you don't just bite someone for no reason. The boy did nothing and at that the mom tried to usher him away. That's when my friend got his attention as they turned to walk away and say to the boy, "well aren't you going to apologize for what you did?" He mumbled something as his head was turned looking at the kids playing those playland McDonald's Mario whatever the hell they call those video games.

The mom of the punk kid did nothing, said nothing, just nudged the child back towards the play area as she proceeded to sit back down with her friends, again her back turned from viewing her son.
Now that is Ignorance too.
Welcome To Crustybeef~
CHILD IN CAR: I considered calling the police, but I didn't. I still regret that decision I made, not calling, but that's not ignorance on my part, it's a learned lesson. I ever see that again, I'm calling the police because I learned something about this particular situation
BROAD IN RAIN AND LEATHER KNEE HIGHS:
I got nothing for her. She was just dumb to be out on ADDISON street near the Cubby Bear Bar and Wrigley field with lightening and all that other stormy stuff
THE PUNK BITER:
CONFESSION: I did something "not so nice." When I went to retrieve Sullivan from the climbing tube thing (the biting had occurred less then 5minutes ago, it was time for my friend and I to round up our boys and head on home) I happened to have the punk kid walking alongside of me into the tube where I went to tell Sul that it was time to go:

Mommy: "Sully, we have to go, your buddy just got bit on his hand by a really really mean kid."
Sullivan: "Is there blood? I don't want to see blood."
Mommy: "No there isn't blood, but this mean boy bit him really hard and there's a mark on his hand. That's very bad to do AND it's against the KID Law of how boys should treat other boys."
Sullivan: "he broke the law?"
Mommy: "Yes he did, he broke the kids law and guess what, that's really really not good at all."
Sullivan: "Is he going to go to jail?"
Mommy: "The police would have to come and make that decision, the police that handle KIDS LAW."
Sullivan: "then we should call them because biting is bad and he should go to jail!"
The punk kid heard the entire conversation and Sullivan wasn't aware that he was the punksnot that bit his 3 year old friend. I'm not proud of what I did,--well, yes I am, because for some, you just have to scare them. I'm hoping that our little conversation that he overheard between Sullivan and I will result in a "I'm never biting another child again" Pledge.
Sure this may freak the lil punk snot out, and sure there could be a chance that he may wake up in the middle of the night with a nightmare of going to jail, but then again, maybe this is what his mom needs, to finally start paying attention to him with discipline and lessons on respect.

17 comments:

Moohaa said...

First... LOL @ punksnot. That's just too funny.

I don't know if I would have called the cops on the lady with the kid. I may have said something to her though. Or yelled at her through the window more like.

As for the punksnot... I am so glad you said that. Maybe the little brat will learn something. As for his mom, I would have had to say something. I get all mama-bear even with friends kids and I would have had to get in her face. :)

The bed company is Sleep Country USA.

LOVE YOU!

austere said...

In the car one, and the punk kid, what were the mothers on?

duh.

What will the punk kid learn when he grows up?

Am glad you said what you did.

jAMiE said...

Gosh i can't believe why any sane adults would put children in danger like that (in car)...and i can't believe how nasty that little brat was for biting your pal...i hope what you said worked...sadly though, i doubt it.

Jamie said...

My mantra these days: People are just plain stupid and rude. Seems your stories fit easily into this category.

You are right, when my kids were young, there were no restraints, altho they weren't far on the horizon. Janelle used to stand up between us in the little corvette her daddy used to drive, good heavens, where was my head?

Happy Friday E!

Hugs.

:)

Karen said...

You know I had the same thing happen to me in the very early hours of the morning while driving home from a night job. There was a woman driving all over the road in front of me, clearly drunk, with a toddler in the back standing on the back seat. STANDING for heavens sake.

I had just got my first mobile phone and the very first phone call I ever made on it was to the police. I gave them her location and registration number and was more than happy to do it. They said there was a patrol car quite nearby and they were onto it. I really hope for that little kid's sake they really did and got her off the road.

Great post Elizabeth. Ignorance is definitely NOT bliss.

Mary said...

The broad in the rain was probably on an economic mission. Neither rain, sleet, snow, nor tornados will stay the mission of . . Oops, almost went too far.

When my children were small there were no laws as to restraint for children in cars. Even then I wouldn't move the car until both boys were seated in the back seat.

As to the bitter, the fault here lies with the parent who turns her child loose on the world with no rules to live by. As obnoxious as the kid is - and dangerous to other kids - I feel sorry for him because he will probably never have the love and guidance all children deserve. Parental neglect is unforgivable.

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

Kelly Jene: i wish i had because they'd have been hit with a child endangerment ticket..when the law is there to protect children, they should...but am I too assume that they are unaware of the rules in the burbs of Chicago? nawww, that'd be ignorance. :)

thanks for the bed info.
ours is about 4 years old but not "working out" as it used to..both our backs are always so sore--:(

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

austie: I'm guessing ignorance juice or just selfish clueless parenting.I have a feeling he'll learn exactly what his parents are teaching him--- sadly to say. I do hope I'm wrong.

me :)

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

Jamie: One of my best friends says all the time, "there are just some people that should never have had children" because the children are punished for the parents lack of interest or discipline. This young boy doesn't stand a chance, unless he has a good role model to emulate such as a family member or church member or teacher, coach..blah blah blah.

elizabeth

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

Jaime2Simon: it's one of those things that wasn't thought about. I do remember getting to go for rides in the back of my dad's company single cab trucks..nothing was more fun than that--now if my children were sitting on the back hump in the truck bed over the wheel bed, I'd surely be arrested. You didn't know and you did what you thought was right. Do you remember your kids fighting over who gets to sit in the front seat of the car? :)

feeling better???
me

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

Gypsy; that is truly a horrifying thing to witness, isn't it. What's worse is scenes of car accidents from idiots like that (and no I'm not tooting my horn because back in my twenties there were "times" where I should not have been driving--) but you grow up and you learn and anyone of my friends will tell you, I have turned into a nervous freak about driving since becoming a mommy. I go overboard and if the boys and I are out to dinner with my parents, I'll refrain from having one beer or one glass of wine because of fear of not being arrested, but of what damage I could do to my children..although the odds of one drink affecting is slim to none, I'm not taking the chance. No way.

me

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

Mary: Judging from her leather boots-ehem-I wonder..and yes I had a pair of the pleather boots back when they were inSTYLE and nonPROSTITUTIONAL :) but where is her jacket? :) Do I sound like a mother? annoying, I know.
You are correct with the parent in Mcdonalds, and my girlfriend is still steamed about the lack of concern that mother displayed not for her son being bitten, but how she handled the situation--she didn't handle it. If one of my boys ever did anything even remotely like that, not only would there be a required apology at eye contact by my son (and myself) but I would be sure to march his little hiney right out of that restaurant with a nice spanking upon returning home. Not acceptable to just blow off his negative behavior whatsoever!!

GRrrrrrrrrr..

HAPPY LABOR DAY!!
Me

Anonymous said...

Crusty!!!


Kudos to you for letting that little brat have it...in a roundabout sort of way....little maggot deserved it. Being a truck driver, I see a lot of that unrestrained kid activity A LOT....far more than I'd believe otherwise....very disturbing.
Keep up the public service little lady!!

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

WINDOWPOINTERWATCHERSISTER:
will you promise to give them the old evil eye the next time you witness something like that? I know you can do it--I witnessed it as Princess Lei age 7. :)

happy LABOR DAY!and a safe weekend!

Rick Rockhill said...

I think most people are s tupid and shound't have kids without passing at competency test first.

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

PSS: :) I couldnt agree with you more! One of my closest friend says that too!

Always,
E~

SpringMist said...

Let's just say I am not doing reading this weekend besides all my homework I haven't started yet.
Missed u lady