Can’t Believe He Said That
Yesterday I was at Trader Joe’s in front of the refrigerated case minding my own business.
I was preoccupied with selecting some lettuce and sugar snap peas when all of a sudden…
BAM!
An older man, probably in his late 60′s/early 70′s slammed into me and rolled over my foot with his cart.
He literally just pushed his cart right into me. Almost like I was invisible.
My pinky toe immediately started gushing bleeding and I was in major pain. That slam your fingers in the car door kind of pain that you wouldn’t wish on anyone. The kind of pain that makes you want to scream four letter obscenities at the top of your lungs and if you weren’t in a public place, you would.
A store employee brought me some paper towels to soak up the blood and asked me if I was okay, and so did the man who ran into me.
I said, “No sir, actually I am not okay. You just slammed your cart into me, and ran over my foot with your cart, and I’m bleeding and in pain.”
His reply, “Well if you were wearing proper footwear it wouldn’t have happened.”
Huh?
Are you kidding me?
I’m pretty sure if I had been wearing steel-toed workboots, he still would have slammed into me. I just may not have felt it as much, though.
However, I was wearing flipflops. Yes, it’s southern California, it’s 75F and sunny, and most everyone wears flip flops or open-toed shoes year-round here.
So not only did I want to scream four letter obscenities because of the pain, I wanted to throttle this man because of what he said after he hurt me. Like it’s somehow the innocent bystander’s fault they got hurt.
I walked away from him before any throttling ensued. He never apologized and was muttering things under his breath as I hobbled off.
My left pinky toe is about 3 times the size of the right, the toenail is gone, the skin is all mangled and missing, it’s throbbing, and it hurts to wear closed-toed shoes, ensuring I will be wearing open-toed shoes, i.e. flipflops, for a long time to come. Oh, the irony is not lost.
I’ll spare you any photos.
After that fun-filled adventure, I came home and did what anyone would do.
I ate chocolate cookie dough
Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
And made an extra sweet homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
And I was almost tempted to make a Baileys Slushie. <– That may have taken the edge. Both my toe and my mood!
Questions:
1. Have you ever been slammed into, ran into, ran over, or otherwise injured as an innocent bystander?
Obviously, in the great scheme of life, this is not a big deal.
I am more outraged by the “proper footwear” comment and the lack of apology than the actual injury. My toenail will grown back, the skin will heal, the swelling will go down. The human body repairs itself over time.
Plus, I grew up playing competitive sports, so yes, injuries happen. However, injuries in that context are more “expected”.
Other innocent bystander moments include being plowed into by a 300 pound man when I was 10 years old on the ski slopes. He sent me snowballing down the mountain straight into a tree and I ended up with a concussion and in the hospital.
And sure, there have been countless other, human “fender benders” where someone pushes their cart into me, or steps on me in a 5k race at the starting gate area. But normally they are a bit apologetic.
I’ve been in automobile fender benders, I’ve been rear-ended, but nothing horrific. Thank God. Knocking on wood right now.
2. What’s the last “I can’t believe he/she said that” thing that someone has said to you?
The man’s statement struck me as so incredibly off-base.
It made me think of the age old, ‘well she was wearing a short skirt and showing lots of skin so she deserved it’.
On the bright side, it made me realize that my yoga practice off the mat was in full force.
Exercising both physical and verbal restraint even though I wanted to throttle this man.
And giving people the benefit of the doubt and remembering that it was an accident. <—hopefully
Breathe in, breathe out.
On that note, glad you are getting your entries in for the Hoodie & Leggings Giveaway. Perfect for yoga.
Another I can’t believe she said that thing that I’ll never forget was when I was 8 months pregnant with Skylar and in a bikini on the beach in Aruba and a woman said, “Oh, I didn’t know you were pregnant. I thought you were just chunky with a beer belly.” <—Pregnant and hormonal, I wanted to beat her up or call her really nasty names, but I just walked away. I will never forget that woman as long as I live!
Can’t wait to hear some of your I Can’t Believe It’s…
Oh, goodness. That’s CRAZY. People in New England wear flip flops year round, and even then I would think such a statement were rude. I hope the toe heals quickly!
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Ouch! Hope that heals up!
Just yesterday I was shopping. After trying on 2 items (a dress that was gorgeous but way out of my price range, and a sweater that just didn’t look right on me), a saleswoman approached me and asked how things had worked out. I simply said “the items weren’t right for me, but thanks.” Without knowing what I tried on, she said “oh, did you try on the skinny jeans?” In other words, she took one look at my runner’s legs and thought there was no way they’d fit in this company’s made-for-a-12-year-old’s jeans. I felt so incredibly judged, as if I didn’t have a right to look at something in the store at all. I actually called the store manager when I got home (something I never do) and complained. She, of course, was super apologetic, but I couldn’t believe that those word’s slipped out of that woman’s mouth.
People really need to think before they speak!
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I can’t not even imagine that, I don’t think I have ever had anyone be that outwardly rude to me (unless you count the drama of middle/high school). I am AMAZED at your inner strength to not full-on attack that guy. Because my blood is practically boiling just reading about it. I really think he will get his in the end.
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Unbelieveable!
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His comment must win some kind of award. Probably “The most unbelievable comment” award.
I’ve had minor injuries over the years as an innocent by-stander and they are not fun. Thankfully all injuries were minor (sprained ankle was the worst) and the body healed & recovered without incident.
The last “I can’t believe she just said that” comment was 2 weekends ago at the paintball field. We ask our customers who come in groups larger than 6 people to have their Waivers and Emergency contact forms filled out ahead of time to speed up the registration process, and get them out on the field (where they want to be) faster. A mom brought in 10 boys around the age of 12. When I asked her if she had the paperwork completed, she said “I’m a busy mom.” Really? Are all other mom’s not busy? 99% of the mom’s who drop off kids have the paperwork done. I’m sure they just spend their days lounging on the sofa eating bon-bons, while watching TV.
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Some people really struggle to take responsibility for their actions. Their immediate response to anything bad happening is to point the finger elsewhere. I can’t believe he’s reached that age without having to change that attitude but such is the case sometimes. So sorry about your toe! Crazy. You got it – just breathe in and breathe out!
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OWWW. I’m so sorry, I winced just reading that!
My “can’t believe she said that” moment happened today!
I was on the bus home from work and was sitting in the aisle seat. We got to the woman sitting next to me’s stop before mine, and she turns to me and says, “Move.”
What ever happened to “Excuse Me, Please!” ??????!!!
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Yikes, so sorry about your foot! I’m always afraid something like that will happen to me at Costco. What a total a-hole! Proper footwear? Your in a gorcery store, not on a construction site!!!
1. Sure, I’ve been rammed by carts before at Costco.
2. Truthfully – nothing. As in someone cuts in front of me in a checkout line or steals my cart and fails to notice I’m even there and apologize! People seem to be so much more distracted and in their own worlds lately.
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My “I can’t believe he said that” story: I was young and driving my first-ever car purchase (a used mini-van to haul around my 2 little girls). I’d only had it a week and had had to borrow the money for it from my parents. I was driving in a small town and a man pulled out RIGHT in front of me, on very icy, snowy streets. It wasn’t even a safe pull-out for dry streets, but he went for it. Of course, I slammed the brakes but still ran into his car. After the police were called, came and went (he was issued a ticket, I wasn’t), he asked why I was still upset. I said “I haven’t even made a payment on this car yet, I’ve only had it a week and my parents loaned me the money for it” and in reply, he asked me for directions to a local (very expensive) restaurant. I said I didn’t know where it was and he said “that’s what you should be upset about, making me late, because that’s where I was going before you hit me.”
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OUCH! Thanks for sparing us the photos, but I do hope it heals quickly! I wish people would understand how long a simple, sincere “sorry” could go.
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omg, I really can´t believe he said that!! Also how he could run you over like that! What is wrong with people??
I really hope you will feel better soon, I can´t imagine the pain, but it most be horrible… I hope you had some arnica on hand.
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Oh my gosh Averie! I am so sorry that that happened to you, and that you had to deal with that jerk. That is awful. I hope your toe gets better soon, and that you get that toenail back right away. OUCH.
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