That's me, apparently! ( This post originated in April of 2018)
I went to lunch the other day with my friend Claudia, and my just turned 5 grandson Luca. We went to Chick-Fil-A on the Parkway.
Luca was super excited to play in the children's play area, to the point that he wanted to go in before we even ordered. I told him that was fine but to come eat as soon as we had our food.
Suddenly he is at my side again as I place my order. Hmm, that's odd. Well, no matter. He informs me that there is a mommy there so he doesn't want to be there right now.
Mind you, I used to go there with him regularly and he always wanted me to be near by, preferably in there sitting on the bench while he played, but it's all good.
He finishes his meal (well, mostly!) and wants to go in and play. I see that a mom and dad and their little one have just left the play area and tell him. He still seems hesitant and I open the door for him and see no one in there. He goes in and it dawns on me that I had seen some pretty big flip flops and sandals left there. I go sit down and think how odd that someone would abandon their shoes in there.
I see movement out of the corner of my eye and after some straining see that there is someone up in the play equipment. Someone big. Oh wait, TWO teenagers, girls, both of whom are too big to be in the play area, as well as a boy likely ten or so who is the correct size to play therein. They are climbing around, crawling around, etc. suddenly my little guy, obviously feeling quite intimidated, dashes like mad over to the where the slide come down, crawls under it, curls in and hides.
The boy and these two adult sized adolescents come out (somehow) of the climbing tower. I mention to my friend, "I don't think they're supposed to be in there!"
Claudia immediately says something to a young employee who says she will get a manager. Okay, that's good. I wait a moment, see no manager coming, and the young lady in question simply avoiding the area.
Now, I gave them a moment and I know the girls can see plainly that any and everyone who cares to look can see them.
Enough is enough. Enter the Dragon Lady.
I get up and go open the door to the play area, preceded by ANOTHER adolescent girl who is too big to be playing in here. She has just kicked off her shoes when I say "You girls are too big to be playing in here. You know you are."
Affronted looks and shocked faces at that. Is someone DARING to correct them???? Um, yeah.
The one girl stares at me with a defiant look and an expression that says certainly I cannot possibly mean her! At which point I look directly at her and say "Yes, you."
They have nothing to say until I say "Did I need to get a manager? Because I can do that." Sudden "no, no you don't need to do that." But not one hint of movement. I then tell them" I'll just go get a manager."
Mind you, as I head up to locate a manager, there is suddenly a great deal of movement there. The four of them hastily exit.
After I talk to someone and relate that I have already taken care of a situation, I return to my seat and see that the children in question have returned to their mothers who had been sitting together enjoying a chat.
My little guy is much relieved and playing happily now as 5 year olds are intended.
(Note - I inadvertently left this unfinished. I now return much later to finish. Hereafter is from memory)
As I sit and finish eating and chatting with my friend, I notice the mothers have been joined by their 'children' and are being regaled with the tale of their misadventure. I see at the end of the tale that they are SHOCKED! Shocked and appalled that someone would dare nay say their precious darlings. What?? Not allow adult sized adolescents to play in the child space where small children are allotted a safe environment?? They take out their cameras and I see they are taking pictures of me and also searching madly for - what, exactly? The CEO of Chick-Fil-A to complain about their bad parenting?? And talking. Oh, my, they are talking to each other and over each other and at each other a mile a minute. The SHOCK of a responsible adult being responsible is apparently quite a shock to their systems.
Look, I'm sure they wanted to have a friendly and uninterrupted by their children adult 'girl time' lunch. That's when you DON'T BRING YOUR CHILDREN. You don't get time off from parenting if your children are with you, perhaps ESPECIALLY if they are teenagers.
Think of me as the Dragon Lady all you like. Your opinion of me is of zero interest to me. I will protect my grandchildren from foolishness caused by others and their negligence EVERY TIME. Every time.
