To the rude lady at Belk...

Dear Woman in the Belk Fitting Rooms,

I noticed you and your family right away.

Your husband stood in the entrance of the children's dressing room completely blocking the path.  I said "excuse us, sir" and he barely glanced my way, only moving over just enough so that I could squeeze myself and my two children by.

I noticed you again when my daughter said to your daughter "oh, you look so pretty in that dress!" and neither you nor she acknowledged Natalie's presence, no "thank you" was said.

I noticed again when you yourself blocked the entrance to the dressing room,  I uttered another "excuse me, please" but had to squeeze by unnoticed because you either weren't paying attention or didn't care that someone else was sharing that space with you.

And I noticed you the final time when you made passive aggressive, loud, and cruel comments about my son while in the dressing room. Only two feet away from my precious boy, separated by a thin partition, you spoke to your child in a way that cut my child down.  Apparently, he was too loud.  You couldn't concentrate, you said.  You said it was too hard to try on clothes with that "disrespectful behavior in the stall next to us"; you were getting a headache.

I kept my cool, careful not to stoop to your despicable level in front of my children, and as we left I encouraged my son to "say it loud and proud" to which you shouted some ineligible, hurried insult directed toward either me or Nick... How very big of you.

Nick was loud, as most 2-year-olds can be from time to time.  He was tired, having been woken up from a nap to go buy outfits for a wedding we're attending in only two weeks, we have to shop when we can and don't have much free time to do so.  He was in pain from falling down a flight of stairs and his tummy hurt from swallowing blood from a terrible nosebleed.  He was over me... it's been a long summer of being only my side kick, with no breaks from Daddy.  But then I guess people as perfect as you never have bad days.

As mad as I am at you I'm also grateful that you taught my children two very valuable life lessons today:
1)  Say thank you
2)  Words hurt

If I ever come across you again, I hope you're having a better day than I was today, and if you're not... I hope you're given the grace you denied me and my son today.

Respectfully,
Leigh
Full time mommy, dance teacher, chauffeur, doctor, nutritionist, Army wife, disciplinarian, boo boo kisser, dog trainer, chef, swim coach, travel agent, amusement park chaperone, daughter, friend, therapist, personal shopper, banker, maid, laundry mistress, sheet changer, wifi fixer, cartoon finder, dog walker, picture hanger, plant waterer, driveway sweeper, weed picker, story time reciter, voice coach, spelling teacher, errand runner...

Who is doing the very best she can.