The Biznards: Neighborhood Mama Bear

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Neighborhood Mama Bear

I've gotta try be more current with my posts instead of always playing the catch up game. I'll post about February (it's a must, since it's Gavin's birthday month) a little later...

Yesterday I came home from dropping Ethan off at school. I left my garage door open since I was planning on leaving within a 1/2 hour. Pretty much as soon as I got inside the house, Tito starts barking from the laundry room (which adjoins the garage) so I peak out the door to see what he's barking at. A guy had pulled up and stopped at the end of my driveway in between my house and my neighbors. I watched to see what he was doing. I just assumed he was a friend of my neighbors, but he starts walking up my driveway. 'Uh oh, what does this guy want.' He stopped right before entering my garage, and stands there with a hand in his sweatshirt pocket. Maybe I've watched too many Datelines but I wouldn't have been surprised if he had a weapon hiding in there. He told me he just dropped off his kids at school and needed gas money to get to work. Uh huh, sure. I tell him sorry, no. And as he turned to walk over to my neighbors I immediately closed my garage door. I got a bad feeling about him and knew he was up to no good. I especially didn't believe a word he said since we live in a different neighborhood from the school and why would he waste gas by working his way through my neighborhood all the way to my house and letting his car run as he's looking for "gas" money.

I peaked out my front window to see what he was up to. I see him get into his car and drive two houses down to my other neighbor's house in my cul de sac. I watched him walk up to her house, which also has the garage door wide open. I tried to quietly go out my front door to get his license plate number but he immediately saw me. I wave at him, to show him that I was on to him. And then I wave him away and yelled across the cul de sac, "See ya!" He yells back, "What, I can't ask for money?" "No!" I yell back. "Well, I need gas money!" "Then why are you wasting your gas? I'm getting your license plate number right now!" "I'm late for work!" He responds. "Then go to work! Get out of my neighborhood!" By that time he gets back in his car and drives off. But of course I couldn't get close enough to get his license plate number.

Wow, where did that come from?? Seriously, that confrontation really isn't like me. It's like something came over me and all of a sudden I felt empowered and thought I was the mama bear of the neighborhood. Later, as I was thinking about it, I thought, "Wow, I was pretty rude." And I second guessed myself and thought maybe he really did need money for gas. But then I have to remind myself that none of his words or behavior made any sense. And I know I need to go with my gut feeling about him. So, I think I'm justified in being rude. Right? This happened a couple hours before an old couple drove passed me going the wrong way on the road. I felt like I was in the twilight zone.

That experience reminded me the importance of being more careful. You never know who's out there and what their intentions are.

2 comments:

Emma Jo said...: I love that you said something to him!! Go Wendy! You can watchdog my neighborhood anytime. Just think what could have happened if you hadn't done anything at all (no, scratch that. Don't think about it.); Friday, March 01, 2013 6:01:00 AM
ANG said...: Oh Wendy...I have totally been there. I shooed a guy out of my house after my kids let him in one night, he was "selling suckers" to make extra money, and he was dragging some little tiny kid around with him. It was dark, cold...and I just thought his whole story was bogus. As soon as I shut the door, I called the police...mostly because I was concerned about the little kid. Sometimes you have to go with what you feel. I am glad we have a big dog in the garage that barks a scary bark....even if he is harmless. You go girl!; Monday, March 04, 2013 12:59:00 PM

Ethan & Gavin Quotes Worth Repeating:

The best is when Gavin tells me, "You're my best mom!" And when he comes out from his nap and says, "Mom, I still love you." (I love the "still" part - I'm just glad his feelings didn't change during his nap).

This morning Gavin saw the medicine cups on the counter and said he needed medicine. Since he's not sick, I said, "You don't need medicine, you're not sick." He goes all whiny, "but I am sick! I'm sick of cereal." (January 6, 2015)

Today I shared half of my cookie with Gavin, he very politely replied when I handed it to him, "Thanks mom! Good job sharing!" (Sept 20, 2014)

This was told to me by my neighbor while Gavin was at her house playing with her daughter, Emma.
Emma tells Gavin, "I have a bum."
Gavin: "I think I have a bum too."
All the while looking behind them trying to get a peak at their own bums. I love conversations between three year olds! (Sept, 2014)

I was talking to Ethan about my on t.v. interview the next day. He was a little nervous I'd embarass him and goes, "Mom, I really don't want you to make a fool of this family!" (July 11,2013)

On Friday we took Ethan and 5 of his friends somewhere for his birthday. We borrowed my brother's car since its big and it could fit all of us. When we all got in the car the boys were saying how the owner of the car must be rich because the car was so big. They were informed that the car belonged to Ethan's uncle. They were still in awe of how rich he must be when Ethan exclaimed, "He's a redhead, of course he's rich!" Hmm...if only I were a redhead. (January 14, 2011)

Ethan gave Tito a little kiss on the head. After he kissed him he was wiping Tito's head off and said, "I'm wiping the wetness off, but the love's still there." So profound. (October 10, 2010)

My sis-in-law Mel and I took our kids to a pool to swim pretty far from our house. They'd been in the car probably for about 30-45 min. I hear Ethan in the backseat ask his fellow cousins, "Are you guys having fun? I'm having fun just talking!" (October 7, 2010)

One morning as Ethan was requesting some breakfast, he said, "Hey, you're kind of like my servant!" He was quite pleased with that discovery. (May, 2010)

At dinner Ethan says to Chad, "Dad, how do you eat in like two seconds?!"

Chad: "Cause I'm a pig."

Ethan: "Pigs don't eat THAT fast!" (March 4, 2010)

Ethan Quote Archives

My Mom was telling Ethan about how she remembers her 1st grade teacher. She paused for a moment to think of her teacher's name and Ethan took the opportunity to whisper in her ear and inform her, "She's probably dead." (January 26, 2010)

Ethan, analizing why the spider was crawling on his leg the other night. "I don't think that spider was TRYING to poison me." (December 18, 2009)

"My friend want to write Santa to tell him what he wants. I want to write Santa to thank him for all that he does." (December, 2009)

From the backseat Ethan says, "I have my pinky in my nose. I'm not picking it, it just kin of feels good!" I looked back and sure enough, his pinky was in his nose. And in all honesty, he's really not a nose picker so I know it wasn't just an excuse. (August 14, 2009)

Chad and I were talking about how my sister-in-law, Mel is going to be the president of Ethan's old preschool. Ethan must have missed the "preschool" part and he goes: "What!? Mel's going to be president? Its not going to be Barack Obama anymore?" (August 9, 2009)

While Ethan was coming home from school with my friend Cathy and her two boys, apparently her two year old was being really loud and Ethan says, "I always wanted a sibling, but I didn't know they could be so anooying!" (May, 2009)

While we were at the park with one of Ethan's friends and his mom, Ethan's friend realized he lost one of the toys that he brought. As he and his mom started frantically looking for it, Ethan quietly, yet knowingly says to me, "And that why I don't bring toys to the park." (March, 2009)

During church Ethan plugs his ears and says, "I don't want to listen anymore."
Me: "Why?"
Ethan: "Because I don't want my eardrums to run out of hearing." (3/15/2009)

Ethan and I were looking through a book about bodies and we were talking about kidneys and where they are located in the body.

Me: (Pointing to the small of his back) "So this is where your kidneys are."
Ethan: "So does that mean you have adultneys?"
Get it? Adult-neys? He's got kid-neys, so I should have adult-neys right? And he wasn't kidding. (1/20/2009)

Me: "Ethan, do you love Tido?"
Ethan: "Yeah, I love him...The only thing I don't like about him is that his butt is always in your face." (1/5/2009)

As we were talking about going to Costco and getting some lunch, Ethan exclaims, "I just love Costco food! Its just so good! We should get their recipe and their autograph!" (1/2/2009)

I'm a little more familiar with the area where we live than Chad is, so sometimes I have to tell him where to turn while driving. One day while I was telling him where to turn left and right, from the backseat Ethan says, "Mom, stop bossing dad around!" (a while ago, 2008)

Aunt Courtney asked Ethan what his favorite part of kindergarten is, he replied, "going home." (9/1/2008)

Ethan: Dad, when you got married did you have a wedding cake?
Chad: Yes I did.
Ethan: Why didn't you save any for me?...Well, its ok cause I guess you didn't really know about me then. (8/12/2008)

While putting Ethan to bed tonight he told me, "You're the sweetest parents I ever had." (6/11/2008)

The other day we were at the store and there was a shirt that Ethan wanted that we didn't buy for him. The next day while he was getting dressed he comes up to me and says, "Mom, I'll give you a choice, either you buy me that shirt or I won't wear any clothes tomorrow." (6/8/2008)

Today during testimony meeting Ethan says to Chad,
"Oh gosh, why does everyone have to say the church is true?"

Tonight as Ethan and I were sipping out hot cocoa, I asked him if it ever made him sad that he didn't have any brothers or sisters. He replied, "No, I have a good life."

While driving in the car I was telling Ethan how he was going to play with his good friend Hayden the next day. Ethan hesitates, "Well. . .I was going to do some research tomorrow." "Oh really, well what are you going to research?" "Oh, I was going to do some research on my mission." (3/13/08)

One Sunday during the Sacrament Ethan whispers to me:
"I can't think of Jesus, I can only think of Superheroes."

"I want to be a cow so I can poop in a field."

"When adults tickle kids they pee a little bit."

Ethan: I want a new mom.
Me: Well that makes me sad that you would say that. Why do you want a new mom?"
Ethan: Because you're so old.

Me: "Ethan, I'm so glad you're my son."
Ethan: "Don't talk about son, child, married, or pregnant. That makes me nervous."

As Ethan was looking at Courtney's parakeet and the bird was looking back at him with just one of his eyes, cause that's just how birds look, Ethan demanded, "Look at me with both eyes bird!"

Today while driving in the snow Ethan asked me if snow is white. I told him that it is and he said, "Oh good because I was worried that I be blind color (aka color blind)."