yesterday with my cousin, my mom, and my grandmother (my only surviving grandparent). (it was a b-day thing for me).
I drove my 89 year old grandmother home, letting her out at the door. I was to go park and then meet her inside. She wanted me to park in an illegal parking spot. I said "I can't park in front of the yellow lines, or yellow curb". She said "of course you can". Me "that's illegal" her "you wont be there long. Everybody does it". We were both dedicated to our own view so that conversation went back and forth for awhile. She then saw the handicapped parking space to our left, and told me to park there. I said "No, you can get our here, then I will go park around the corner, legally." Her "No one needs that spot, just take it. No one will be by for an hour." Me "how do you know that?" Her "don't you have any faith in me? Doesn't anything I say carry any weight with you?". Me "that isn't the issue, I can't in good conscience park in either spot" . Her "Tiffany" said loudly, and longly, with a roll of her eyes, like I can't believe how difficult and stubborn you are being. Me (semi-quoting Moon Topples) "I'm not going to do it, and there is nothing you can do to make me". Finally, finally... she got out of my car, and then as I drove away I found a perfectly legal spot, about 5 car spaces away. (we couldn't see it from the angle we had been at). I had to laugh. I mean I think it was nearly 10 minutes that we had gone back and forth, each not believing the ohter would not surrender her position. Even as we walked up to her apartment she added "your mother would have done it".
I am still feeling a bit surprised, that my good catholic grandmother, took it so personally, and managed to be offended that I would not park illegally. I understand that she is used to using the handicap spaces, as she has from her doctor one of those plastic signs, because her walking isn't so good. But since I was dropping her off at the door, I don't see how that would come into play.
When I called my mom today, my grandmother had already talked to her of her frustration with her inability to get me to park there.
It isn't of any real concern, but you know I feel a little odd, knowing she probably has thought this over, and shook her had at me, thinking something like...Ugh kids today. They just don't listen to their elders. They think you don't know what you are talking about.
Okay so a picture of said grandmother would be better than I picture of a tree, I don't have time to do that now though..
6 comments:
That would be rough but you did the right thing. I hope lunch went better otherwise.
Paul
Umm, who exactly was doing the driving?
Maybe you have special Catholic cars over there in Merka that I don't know about!
Older people can have very determined views! I support the view you took though - I would have done, and I do, exactly the same.
Loved your tree shot.
Paul,
Lunch did go well otherwise, thanks.
And I did have a good visit with her afterwards, it was just weird. She was really frustrated with me for not breaking the law because she told me to, and that just shocks me.
Minx,
I was driving, my green beetle.
No but apparently some of us could use such cars.
Vanilla,
Indeed they do!
Thank you.
I get along well with my grandmother.
In the past she was known to be stern, but now we just call her feisty.
This incident, surely gives me some insight into parts of my mother's childhood.
(like the story of my grandmother chasing my mother, when a child, down the street, with a wooden spoon, as incentive for learning how to ride her bike.) I am glad she had softened a bit by the time I came around.
Lovely grandmother! :-) :-) :-)
I think that some older people have this attitude - of certain privileges coming with their age. It's good that you stood your ground - though I still find her very cute... :-) :-) :-)
Vesper,
You are right, she is very cute, and very spunky!
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