Picture it!

An elderly gentleman with a cane hanging from the handle on his cart. He's on his way to his car.

Two "thugs" in a car go up behind him and blast their horn! I was outraged. I went up to their car window and yelled. "This is somebody's father! This is somebody's grandfather! Do you want yours treated this way?"

I went over and helped the man put his groceries in his trunk. Helped him to the door, handed him his cane and asked if he was OK to drive. He said it happens all the time and thanked me for yelling at them and helping him.

The "thugs" slowly turned down one of the aisles and was leaving the parking lot. They were no longer laughing.

I probably shouldn't have done that. They could have had a gun.

I couldn't help it.

I had a similar thing happen to me a couple of months ago. As I was leaving the grocery store an older lady in a handicap stop was struggling to unload one of those large bags of dog food from the bottom of her cart. I stopped my car in the lane and got out and helped her and also took a few seconds to unload the rest of her items. When I turned around there was this guy honking his horn at me and screaming at me to move my car. I walked up to his car and told him if he was half of a man he would get off his lazy butt and help her. I also told him he was lucky I didn't yank him and his buddies out of the car and kick their butts (A little over the top I know). He just stared at me with this deer in headlights look and said "Um sorry ma'am I didn't know she needed help.... Yeh, that's what I thought

What's wrong with people?

Ok Mare ~ Probably Not The Smartest Thing You Have Ever Done, But~~~~~boy Do I Love Your Spirit!!!!

I wish I had the guts to do stuff like that. I almost exploded one day because I was on the bus behind this jerk that was verbally abusing his woman and about to hit her. I was about to intervene when my hubby reminded me that he obviously has no qualms about hitting women and I should keep my mouth shut.
I still wish I'd said something.

And more than once I have been at work in retail or out shopping and heard people being really abusive to elderly people or children. Once I saw a man shaking a 5 year old downs syndrome child and screaming at him. And since I was at work I couldn't do anything. I was horrified.

cbmare,

I'm reminded of a quote by Edmund Burke: "When good men do nothing, evil triumphs."

It is people like you, who are willing to intervene when someone is being victimized, who make this world a better place.

I applaud you, truly. It is a rare person that sees something happening that is wrong and actually acts on it. So, way to go!!

You know, cbmare, there are thugs, and there are thugs. What I mean is, when even the hardest gang bangers, criminals, etc. are chastised for disrespecting someone that shouldn't be, they are embarassed and ashamed. Those young men would shoot a rival gang member, or smart-talking young teenager, but somehow still have enough morals to know when they've stepped over the line.

Most likely, your thugs were some punk middle-class kids who just act tough, but know their parents would lick the living tar out of them if they knew they had done that!!

Bravo for your courage!

Actually, your HUSBAND could've said something to the man on the bus.

And, you always have the choice of whether or not to "say something." You could have said something to the AIR even if not directly to the person. Or how 'bout to one of your co-workers, accidentally loudly enough for the parent to overhear?

Both mare and Rocker - I'm in awe and so proud of what you did. The world keeps turning because of people like you. Bravo!

I don't know if I'd have been as brave as you. At least I was parked and walking into the store.

You know, we could both be dead right now because of our mouths.

However, Bravo for you!

4myself you're right! i was kind of peeved about my hubby not saying anything.

i guess it depends on the situation. if i had witnessed that as a customer i most likely would have made a point of that man hearing me. at work, at least that particular job, it would have been a problem.

i'll be honest, i've gotten into scraps w/ ppl at walmart before. usually about treating the staff poorly. once you've worked a horrible retail job, you gotta stick up for those poor people who are doing it. the way people treat other people anymore is just shocking.

working in a call center i've heard all kinds of horrible things, been called every name in the book, etc. and i'm not talking a collections call center or anything. a bank call center! i could never imagine speaking to someone the way others have spoken to me.