As a rather intimidating person, (my sister says I have the ability to change the temp of a room by walking in), I was shocked in the change of the general public in relating to me while I was pregnant. Normally my height, size, and general energy that I put out, left people leaving me alone while out and about. Somehow my pregnant belly was seen by these same people as an invitation to talk to me, ask me personal questions like the gender of the little womb-traveller, or the date when I would be pushing this being out of my vagina. Yeah, I mostly was annoyed by the lack of boundaries that happened while pregnant, but nothing prepared me for the even thinner boundary between me and the public by having Potamus with me.
So I braved a trip to Target on my way to baby group. I was running in for cold medicine and a birthday gift for my 8 year old half-sister. 10 minute trip, tops. With cold meds in hand (er…cart) I loomed over to the toy aisle, when BAM, Potamus decides that he no longer wants to be shopping and begins to cry. We’re not talking a little fussy wahwah, but a full blown screaming fit, with flailing arms, red face and tears streaming down his miniature face. Cheap cold meds weren’t worth standing in a long line, so I headed toward the door.
And that’s when a grumpy woman in sweats came up to me and said “oh, I love the little new baby cry”. Really lady? You think THIS is the time to COO over my baby, now that I am clearly rushing to get out of the store? She then proceeded to FOLLOW me toward the door asking 372 questions about Potamus (gender, age, etc). Seriously. She wanted to know whether the screaming human in my shopping cart had a pens or a vagina. If I wasn’t trying to compose myself and get the hell out of there without ruining the rest of the shopper’s morning, I could have probably thought of a witty/snarky remark to put her in her place, making her think twice about personal boundaries, but instead I just lifted his car seat out of the cart and carried it out the door, with her standing next to the candy/gum staring at me.
Weirdest experience ever.
boof & monk-monk 