Showdown at the Shoreline

A few years ago, while the kids were still little, I went on a little vacation. Hubby had to work that week, so the kids and I joined my parents and my sister for a little getaway to San Diego.

The place was great: they had a pool, play area for the kids, and a great bar and restaurant. We spent the days seeing the local attractions, lolling in the water at the nearby beaches, and relaxing in the sun.

A few days into the trip, we were standing in the lobby waiting for my dad. Suddenly we heard a woman talking loudly, complaining about being in a room next to some "screaming, crying kids." I couldn't help wondering who she was talking about, until she announced her room number loudly. It was the room next to ours. My sister covered her mouth, trying to muffle her laughter, while my jaw dropped open. The kids hadn't been that loud, had they?

The woman was going on and on, continuing her tirade against my kids and how noisy they were. Finally I turned the corner, faced her square-on, and announced, "That's us!"

The friend that had been listening suddenly bolted, leaving the other lady to do some huminah huminahs. Finally, gaining her composure, she cleared her throat and plastered a big smile on her face, saying, "Oh, but they are so cute!"

A little too late. As my mom always said to us growing up, "You never know."

You never know when the someone you are talking about is nearby. Or if someone can hear you, and they know that person. The best advice comes from Thumper, in the movie Bambi: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Lesson learned.