A Good Girl

In my old age, ahem, I'm becoming the epithome of Zen. Yeah, I swear and I won't spit.

Today was a perfect example. My father-in-law was visiting and went to pick up miss A. from school and took her on the playground so that she could show off her moves on the monkey bars. After a while I decided to take Piper on a walk and stopped at the playground on the way back to say hello. As usual when I'm walking the dog she is swarmed by the kids who wanted to pet her.

3 seconds after I arrived, a lady comes up to me and tells me in an unfriendly and condescending tone that "the kids can't pet the dog 'cause they are in Bridges ( the after-school program ) and if they are not in Bridges they still need their parents' permission."
And then, fatal mistake, she keeps talking. Looking at Piper she says "I don't want to pet you either: you are too big and too black."

A few years ago here is what I'd have said: "Well, you're fat, ugly and dumb so I don't want to talk to you either. There."

Instead I stood there, looking at her, silently, thinking " do I say it or not?". Finally, I decided to just turn my back on her.

Granted, I could have pointed out that I was actually in a public park, after regular school hours. That she needs to get hold of the delighted kids that were all around us petting a rock still dog and do her job. That I know that nobody likes her because she is power hungry and petty. And that the parents want her fired.
But I decided it probably wasn't much better than the " fat, ugly, dumb" line and so I showed exemplary restrained.

I think.

Now I deserve chocolate.

Oh, and here is a picture of the fearsome beast. I hope you won't get too scared :)