Stupid Woman

Cruised into the local mini mart for a shot of Pepsi. Pull up beside a 4 wheel drive pickup. Turn off the van and start pawing thru my purse for some change. I look up and see a woman inside. She was just shooting the breeze with the clerk but now that I've pulled up she is staring at me. She keeps staring.

?????

Do I have something stuck between my teeth? Wait, she's not that close. So I kinda look around as I start to open my door and then see that the window of the pickup next to me is partially open and a pit bull has its head hanging out.

Oh.

It. Is. Watching. Me. Intently. If I get out, and the dog lunges, I have no where to go. Meanwhile the woman inside the store is still staring. Hmmmm. I quietly close my door, put my change down, start the van, back up and move over a space. The dog watches my every move. The woman takes a step forward so she can still see me and continues to stare.

This is a little weird. I scope the situation out and see that the window is open a smidge too far...if the dog decided to try and jump out, it might make it...but it also has a lead rope attached to its collar which is then tied to a hand grip on the door frame so unless the dog slips its collar it will simply dangle, choking itself. Not a nice picture, (but let's stick to what's important here!!!) I think I can make it into the store safely.

The woman watches me walk in. (Still staring) As I open the door, she starts toward me and in a chatty voice informs me, "She's a really nice dog, she won't hurt you, it's not a problem..." and is going to continue to talk. Oh brother. I'm really not interested in having this conversation. By the way, have I mentioned I'm a postal worker? Know a lot of  dogs. Not this one but I can guarantee you most of the people who assure you that Fluffy is an absolute love and is totally harmless have (of course) never seen Fluffy when they are not home. Fluffy has a tendency to take guarding the house, the kids or ahh...the truck, seriously. Fluffy has bitten me. I don't like it.

So... I say,

"If you have to watch her that closely, she's a problem." And keep walking.

Gee, was I rude????

Y'know, I wasn't messing with her, or her dog. There was no negative body language or acting all freaky outside. Please, just leave me alone. I should be able to walk into the store without having to worry about being attacked (by the dog or her owner.) Yes?

So when I walk off continue about my business and leave stupid woman talking to herself she gets in a huff. Seriously lady, you are wasting my time. I'm thinking - go away and take your damn pit bull, that you have to watch every second you're not with it...with you.

SCORE! She leaves. I go to the counter to pay for the pop. But - apparently stupid woman is a friend of the clerk. Now I get attitude because I wasn't polite and didn't engage stupid woman in long conversation about her stupid dog.

Really????

Arggh. Obviously she was worried about what the dog might do. Why does she need me to tell her that it's okay that she is not a responsible dog owner? Why would she not just close the pickup window or come out of the store and take care of the mutt?

I know...she's a really nice animal and I'm just a snippy old woman who will learn one of these days to just be quiet and keep walkin'.

You're not holding your breath, right?
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