Drive by Wining

Yesterday I was out at the Target in Reston to grab a couple of things. Taking Eric there is always a crap-shoot. He usually handles himself well, but sometimes he starts fussing and squirming in his stroller as if it's a medieval torture device, and I never know how he's going to act in public. So my solution is simple- I don't go out much.

If anyone out there is familiar with the Target in Reston, Virginia then you already know that the worst drivers in the world congregate there on a daily basis, especially around lunch time. Unfortunately with Eric's current nap schedule, this is precisely when we end up going. Part of the problem is that there are no stop or yield signs for entering/ exiting the parking lot (which also feeds into a gas station). And naturally, everyone is speeding through the lot at 35 mph, no one giving a damn about graciously allowing anyone the right of way. So you watch every window, check every blind spot in your car, and pray that no one hits you.

I parked three rows from the front of the store, far enough away so that hopefully no one would park next to me. Because the car seat with Eric weighs over 30 pounds, and the stroller is huge, I need a lot of door space to get everything in and out of the car (someone always ends up parking next to me though. I could park my car in the middle of Siberia and someone would park next to me). So I kept Eric in his car seat, put him inside the travel stroller, and *CRASH.*

I had been keeping a cautious eye on a black car that had slammed on its brakes near mine, and another black car that had pulled out in front of it. I don't know what happened, but I heard a loud crash and suddenly a Target bag filled with at least one wine bottle flew into the air and landed less than a parking space away from my stroller.

I honestly thought the driver would just keep on going, but in her defense, she got out and made sure Eric and I were ok. She apologized profusely. I reassured her that we were fine, no one was hurt. It turned out she had accidently left the bag on the top of her car and when she sped away, it flew off. Hey, we've all been there.

I asked her if she needed help picking up the glass. Most of it was inside the Target bag, but she said she would tell someone in Target what happened. But then... she drove away. So I, forever the mom now, went inside and directed a poor manager out to the spot where he picked up the glass. Reminded me of when I worked retail in my youth. Such a thankless job, and yet I had a lot of fun, mostly making fun of nutty customers. Back when I was in my late teens- early 20's... Back when I was YOUNG [sob]. But I digress...

Eric grew out of his duck so the main reason for going to Target was to get a liner for the bottom of the tub. Eric's new thing when dad bathes him is to roll out of the duck and attack the water. The faucet is apparently the most fun toy in the world, after window-blind cords. I'm waiting for the night when Eric figure out how to turn on the shower. I can hear DH screaming now as he's hosed down. hehe... Ah, it's the simple joys in life...