(My elderly mother no longer drives, so it’s up to me to take her around when I can to get her errands done. I drive a small, two-door car with wide doors that swing out quite a ways. We also live in an area known for its high winds. We pull into a parking lot for a busy shopping center and after a few minutes of driving around, finds a spot near the storefront. As my mother opens the passenger side door, the wind grabs it out of her hand and bangs it into the car next to them. Unfortunately, the driver of that car is there to witness it and jumps out to confront my mother and I.)
Me: “I am so sorry! The wind took the door out of my mother’s hand.” *turns to mom* “Mom, you have to be more careful. These doors swing really really wide.”
Mom: “I know. I’m sorry. As she said, the wind took it out of my hand. Please, let me pay you for the damage.”
Woman: *to my mom* “No, no, sweetie. Don’t worry about it. You’re old. You didn’t know better.” *turns to me* “But you! You should have known better!”
Me: *completely shocked at the woman’s attitude* “Excuse me? I didn’t open the door. I wasn’t even on the side of the car!”
Woman: “You should have warned your mother about the wind and the doors opening so wide. How could you be so inconsiderate to your old mother and my poor car!”
Me: *starts to yell back, but stops and turns to my mother* “Come on, mom. Let’s go inside. It seems the crazies are high out there today.”
(The woman continued to yell at me as I crossed the parking lot and entered the store. I was sure the woman was going to call the cops but when I came out, the woman and her car was gone.)
