House of Zathras: When should you say something?

When should you say something?

And when do you risk taking your life in your hands?

I just read over at Roses'.

It's about telling somebody off who cut in line at McDonald's. She was wondering whether or not she should have said anything to him.

I tend to confront people in situations like these (to the embarassment and fear of my family!

!!).

The other day, I was heading toward the gulf, when I got behind some kind of Mercury Sable station wagon-type vehicle, driven by a young woman with her hair wrapped in two braided bun-thingees on her head. They were obviously heading to the beach, with the back loaded with beach toys. And the back was also loaded with two little girls, no older than five.

Without seatbelts. They were just bouncing around, having a good ol' time.

I get really pissed off when I see children being endangered.

The woman was also cutting in and out of traffic. So I called 9-11 to report it. I followed her until I got caught at a light, but the police dispatch said they were sending someone.

So I went on to my shopping.

Several hours later, I was headed to church with my kids. And we got behind the SAME woman.

Same kids in the back, laying down, obviously tired from their day at the beach. Still no seatbelts. I get really pissed off when I see children being endangered.

So I called 9-11 to report it. This time, I followed her to her home. (It's not like I followed her a long way.

She turned off the highway while I was talking to the police, and turned into a driveway about three down from the main road.) Police dispatch said they would have to 'catch her in the act', so I told them 'Fine, thank you', and pulled off the road in front of this woman's house. (Eraserhead is in the front passenger seat, muttering, "Please, Mom, No!

"). I roll down the window and she comes over to my car. She had a kind of Eastern-European look to her.

I told her I was concerned for her kids, that she was putting them at risk, etc. (Of course, I KNOW I had my stern, teacher-face on!) I told her I had called the cops, and I just wanted her kids to be safe.

She didn't say much, other than "Yes, I know. Thank you."

And then I left for church.

So...

was I foolish for doing that? Probably. For adults, I'm live and let live.

Adults have whatever right to be stupid to themselves. But when kids are involved, something kicks in. I just react.

I don't know if it's maternal instinct or the teacher/disciplinarian in me. But these days, you don't know what nuts you can wind up facing in situations like this.

But when I was a kid, you could be reprimanded by anyone in the neighborhood if you misbehaved.

At the very least, they would drag you home by your ear to face your parents' wrath. Not quite the 'it takes a village' ala Hillary (her village would have everyone sitting around getting in touch with the feelings of the child and why they acted that way and let's all sit around and feel better about ourselves and spread the responsibility around until no one is responsible). No, it was more about making you face the consequences ON YOUR OWN and LEARN responsibility so you don't grow up to be a STUPID adult.

Too many adults today are 'Stuck on Stupid' ( ...

I really like that guy!)

Geez, I feel like the Team America/Responsibility Police. I shouldn't care.

But I do. Dammit.