So let's be honest. We've all been tempted. You know the deal- you're driving in a crowded parking lot, it's pouring down rain and 45 degrees outside (we affectionately call it "Winter" here in Richmond), and the only place to park is 32 places down. All you want is a freakin' gallon of milk, that's it. Ok, and maybe a cheap bottle of wine to go with dinner. But seriously, that's it. You wanna be in and out. And then you see it, a spot only 3 spaces away from the front....yes, YES....wait, nope- compact car. I hate those.
But there, beside the compact car- and even closer to the store- is, in fact, an open space. You can't believe it- it's too good to be true- and then you see it. Not a handicapped sign- no, because you wouldn't dare pull into a handicapped space- that would be wrong on so many levels plus you don't have the little tag to hang from your rearview mirror, which means you could get busted easily. Instead, this sign says, "For Expectant Mothers and Shoppers with Children." Cute. You look around innocently and think, "I don't see any pregnant women...? No toddlers or strollers in plain view...? I'm only gonna be 5 minutes..." We've all been there. Some of us have even cozied right into that parking space and never given it another thought.
And I can't really blame them. Seriously, how exactly does this get enforced? Does the offender get a ticket from the Preggo Police if they're caught? If I had decided to park there (back in my non-pregger days) and someone had questioned me, couldn't I have responded that I was only 3 months pregnant? I mean, do they want me to whip out a pee stained First Response with 2 blaring pink lines on it for proof? Maybe women could hang that on their rear view mirror- a sort of pregnancy license, if you will, until the proof is showing under the clothes. Right. Which brings me to my next point...
Jake and I were going to a certain grocery store to grab a quick dinner several weeks ago, and as I weaved the car through the crowded parking lot, I noticed THE parking space. It was mine, I tell you. I was about 15 weeks pregnant at the time, and I have to admit, I felt a little excited to be rightfully parking in a space that someone (a woman, no doubt) was sensitive enough to designate. It was mid-December, cold, rainy, and I was ravenous. As I started to pull in, my ever empathetic, supportive husband says, "You're not going to park there!" Uh, watch me dude. I told him, yes I was going to park there and why not?? And he says (as if he was one of the parking space designator people), "because that's for women who are big and uncomfortable." First, let me say that I recognize there's a compliment in there. Thank you, babe, for not putting me in the "big" category. I appreciate it. But having a living, growing, nausea-inducing, hormone-surging human being in your belly will start making you uncomfortable the day you pee on a stick. It's true. I told him I will determine when I'm uncomfortable and I'm taking this parking space. So I did. Perhaps, he would have had a better argument had the sign read, "For Expectant Mother's Who Are Big and Uncomfortable," (because that would go over really well at a grocery chain). Or "For Expectant Mother's Who Are In Their Third Trimester" and underneath that "be prepared to show proper due date identification."
But for now, it's the honor code. No Belly Police or ugly yellow tickets slapped onto windshields of offending parkers. The punishment in fact, is probably just bad karma...meaning if you're not pregnant and you take a space that belongs to us preggo's, look out...much morning sickness will be upon you...
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