Thankful Day 16 . . .

Today I am thankful for men who actually take women seriously.

We had a small issue at work today. I work for a daycare that is in very large church, the largest in our city. Today there was an auction at a house directly across the street from our property. A LOT of people turned out and began parking wherever they pleased. I had no issue with them in our lot, but they were parking all willy-nilly and not even in parking spaces. Everyone was gone today, so I was kinda in charge. I went over to the auction and found the auctioneers. I explained that I was so very sorry, but those not in spaces would have to move so that the buses that drop children off at the daycare would be able to get through. He said, "It'll be fine". I explained it was indeed not fine and they needed to move.

I went back over to our lot and stood in three prime spaces that the buses needed to swing around in our lot. The people began walking over to move their cars. I was well aware that at this point I was the "face of the church" and I really needed to be kind. As they got in their cars, I apologized and directed them farther down the lot where they were welcome to park. As they walked back passed me I thanked them for their kindness. Not everyone was as kind to me. In fact, most were quite rude. Two men told me that where they were parked was fine and they were not moving. I told them they were parked illegally and they had to move. They argued, I smiled and held firm and they hollered and argued and eventually moved. They walked past me grumbling and mumbling expletives, "Damn Women!" was my favorite.

I had to continue to stand out their in my prime spaces because newcomers kept coming and parking in the places that I had just scooted others out of. Seriously people. Do you think you can just make up parking spaces? One man hollered about having to move his truck that was actually parked in the traffic lane facing the wrong direction. His argument? There was not a NO PARKING sign posted. Really dude? Really?

I kept getting the distinct impression that I would not have been treated the way I was treated had I been a male.

Yesterday I frequented a local establishment to check into purchasing a very expensive home surveillance system and the man who was there treated me like I was a child. I informed him that I had done my homework and pretty much understood the systems and done a lot of research on line and that I wanted to give a local business my money instead of the internet, but he still treated me like an idiot. He kept calling me "little lady" and "hun" and "lil darling". It was extremely condescending. A lot of the stuff he told me I knew was completely false and he was trying to get me to spend more for less options. There is no way in Hades that I would give my man my money.

Thankfully these two examples, although close together, are few and far between. Men that take women seriously and don't make any assumptions as to what they know and don't know simply because of their sex are much more common.