Payback's a Bitch subtitled Have a Coke and A Smile

In my never ending quest to assert myself, and express righteous indignation, I wheeled around and called someone on their snarky comments today.

I was walking out of Stop and Shop - where I stopped to get cookies, a scratch ticket and a trashy magazine for the fence company folk as a thank you for the speedy install - and I was carrying Ellie in The Football Hold. Good for her tiny torso. If you saw her face on, you'd know that she was loving it. Clapping her hands, etc.

Behind me were two young woman of an indeterminable age, perhaps 17? 19? 21? Possibly checkers getting off shift, or Babrbie wannabees who stopped in to cash their paychecks. Behid me. Walking out.

One says to the other, huffily:
"isn't that illegal" sotto voice
"I dunno, but it should be"
"Mutter Mutter"
"Mumble mumble"
As I shift Ellie to get my car keys I hear:
"WELL. That's better."
followed by
"I was getting worried there for a minute"

I saw red. Like literally. Not the gap ad aids awareness shit, but fury.
So I stop, turn, and point blank say, aggressively
"I'm sorry? That commentary meant for me?"
It was like turning the light on cockroaches.
"Oh no, No We weren't talking about you..."
heads bowed, scurrying away.
Me: Loudly. "Oh, I'm sorry. It sounded like you were. My mistake.

I was seething. Shaking. Furious. Embarrassed. But triumphant.
I TOLD THEM, I thought. Knowing full well two wrongs do NOT make a right. Well, they should have kept their mouths shut. Etc Etc. Reliving the moment.

I open the back door, and go to put Ellie down in her seat.
Sniff sniff.
She smells like poop.
So I take the diaper bag, still holding Ellie, open the front door, throw the bag on the floor of the passenger side, and lay her across the seat.

Still muttering mentally to myself.
The NERVE. The audacity. They know NOTHING about children. Ellie was FINE. She was happy.

By rote, Ellie's teeny legs are up in the air, her smelly junky bum waving. I reach into the bag for another wipe and hear Ellie start to cry. In earnest. I look at her.

Whuh?

There's Coke. all over her face, her pretty going to visit clothes, the car seat. She's soaked.

Ellie apparently can reach over her head now and find things left in the console.

Who knew?

Im sure the karma gods enjoyed their little joke.