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After a conversation this weekend, Robin and I decided to make an effort to give each other alone time during the week. We both have felt like we have fallen behind on task-y errands, so our solution is to each take a couple of hours each week to spend as we choose. On Monday night, I got home and took Lydia and Robin took off to a nearby coffee shop to get some work done. Lydia and I went up to northern Austin to stop by the Gap and then to Whole Foods to pick up some things for dinner.

Lydia loves the grocery store, so we were both in a pretty good mood as we left Whole Foods to head home. With Lydia still in the cart, I put the groceries into the trunk of our car and brought the cart to the cart return. As I was bringing the cart to the return, I noticed a man near the entrance to the store (about 20 yds. or so away from me) yelling at a car, something along the lines of "Back the f--- up! Give me some space, you m----- f---er!" The car reversed and the man continued, walking around and yelling into the driver's window and then kicking the door. I had assumed that the man had some reason to be angry at that particular driver, but then he continued and did the same thing to the next car in line. He then continued on and threw something at the third car in the line. Yes, we had a beligerent, violent man on our hands, right in the parking lot of Whole Foods. (Too much tofu? Not digging the eggplant selection?)

Standing alone with Lydia in the middle of the parking lot, I was confronted with what to do. I quickly got Lydia out of the cart and rushed to the car. I was worried about standing in the parking lot and taking the time to buckle her carseat with this crazy man having a meltdown, and the thought occurred to me that I could put her in my lap and drive away, but then I realized that I could have a Britney Spears-child neglect situation on my hands. I settled with throwing Lydia in her carseat, running around and jumping in the car and locking the doors, then crawling back into the backseat and buckling Lydia in.

As I was driving away, I realized I should tell someone about this crazy man, but I didn't know the number to Whole Foods, and I couldn't remember the non-emergency number. Plus, this man was screaming obscenities at random drivers and throwing things and kicking cars. I would not put assaulting (either verbally or physically) a passerby on foot, so I called 911. And got a busy message. Yes, folks. I called 911 and was greeted by a friendly woman saying, "You have reached 911 Emergency Services. All of our operators are assisting other callers, so..." True story.

This was ultimately the most disconcerting part of the entire experience. What if Lydia would have been choking? What if the man would have been pounding on my window? So much for safety and security...