Right the Wrong

There was a time, not so long ago, when I would talk on my cell phone whilst smack in the midst of other folks.  It was annoying to everyone within one to one hundred feet, I was told, because I must have thought the persons on the other end of the line were hard of hearing. Now that I have been made aware of my bad phone manners, I have become more considerate when using my cellphone in public.  Unfortunately, in my efforts to not offend strangers, I have lost three friends who are hearing impaired.

It was because of this newfound sensitivity to others' feelings that one day last week I elected to remain in my car in Walmart's parking lot until I was finished with my cellphone call. The conversation was lively and loud. Very loud. Shortly after I pulled into a parking space, a lady in a Cadillac Escalad parked in front of me. After turning off the engine, she pulled down the visor mirror, picked her eyelashes apart with a toothpick, looked to make sure there were no boogers hanging, applied lipstick, and then she combed her hair. When she was done making herself pretty for Walmart, she stepped out of her SUV.

It was at that moment when the loudness brought me to her attention. She put her hands on her hips, said a naughty word, and directed a disgruntled frown in my direction. Cadillac Lady was not happy. I rejected her frown and kept talking. She continued to look at me. I continued to look at her. Then she shrugged her shoulders and walked away. But the loudness had nothing to do with my bad phone manners and everything to do with her door hitting--unintentionally, yet with great impact--the side of a new Ford F-350, 4 x 4 Super Duty diesel truck parked next to her. She knew I knew, but would I tell on her?

You know how sometimes in life, when you witness bad things happening to good people, you feel compelled to get involved? There is that need, that strong desire to right that wrong. When Cadillac Lady shrugged her shoulders and walked away, I felt compelled to get involved, but herein lies the dilemma.

Dilemma

Dilemma is when you find yourself impaled

on the sharp, uncomfortable horns of selecting

an option, none of which are good. Some option

 choices can be uncomfortable, even painful.

                                                 --Google Search, really

If I've learned one lesson over the past six plus decades, it's that picking the wrong dilemma option can be painful (remind me to tell you about the time I was assaulted in a Mexican restaurant because I made a comment to a mother about her unruly child). I've been told I should never insert myself into other people's business, but not doing so can be extremely difficult. I still haven't learned that mind-your-own-business lesson.

While I was frantically searching for a McDonald's receipt, styrofoam cup, or any scrap piece of paper to jot down information that might help right a wrong, the owner of the truck returned with two bags of groceries. Within seconds he saw the dent.  Enraged, he dropped the bags of food on the ground, yelled about somebody's mother having sex, and then stared right at me. Yes, Ford Truck Man, I saw the whole thing go down. I was the one and only witness to the wrong done you. But, but, but should I tell you what I know or should I not get involved? Before I had the chance to pick a dilemma option, Ford Truck Man opened his passenger side door, slammed it with all his might into Cadillac Lady's car, looked directly at me, and then smiled.

Oh, what a dilemma I'm in.

You know how sometimes in life, when you witness bad things happening to good people who turn out to be not so good, you feel compelled to do something? No? You don't feel compelled to get involved in other peoples' business? Okay then...never mind.