Peacemaker ... Again

So. I was out and about last week with Rain. It was the day after Christmas, and I was feeling at peace with all the after-holiday glow and whatnot. The weather was pleasant but the wind was particularly strong.

We left a shop, and though the wind was fierce, I could tell Rain's diaper needed to be changed. So, I put her in the driver's seat (she loves to play with the wheel) and dumped our bags in the trunk. I quickly changed Rain's diaper in the car and watched her play with the radio for a while. After a few minutes, I informed her it was time to sit in her car seat. I scooped her up and got out. I shut the door against the gusts of wind and got into the back. The door was open about six inches while I sat inside buckling Rain in. I had just buckled her chest latch when, of course, the wind picked up. My door opened suddenly and hit the car next to me.

Mind you, I had never touched the door. I felt bad, though, so I told Rain, "Darn! Mommy has to go and see if the the door did any--"

Honestly, that's as far as I got.

Apparently, there was a lady in the car my door hit. I heard her before I saw her. She was yelling. I mean, straight up cussing me out before she ever got out of the car. I will attempt to edit the following conversation for our younger viewers:

Me, looking puzzled.

Crazy Lady: "Oh, h___ no! You b___!"

Me, still puzzled. Perhaps I ran over a kid??

CL: "You KNEW I was backing out! You should've waited for me!"

Me: "I didn't know--"

CL: "I SAW you! You were out here for 15 minutes and--"

Me, truly puzzled. If she saw me for 15 minutes, wouldn't she had to have been out here as well? How would I know then that she had finally decided to back out? Wait! It doesn't even matter because

Me: "The wind opened the door."

CL whips out her phone and dials.

CL: "It's me. This b___ [nodding to me] just hit my car!"

I HIT her car? Like a head-on collision? All remorse dripping away ...

CL: [still on phone] "Get here right now!"

I check for damage on the car. There is a single hairline of white where my door scuffed hers. I had to lean in to see it.

CL: "Give me your insurance!"

I had to look at her and the mark on the car twice to make sure I hadn't missed the dead kid that must be on the ground. Without a word, I turn to walk back to the driver's seat to get my insurance info.

CL: "You'd BETTER not be trying to leave with my information!"

Seriously? Can you say one thing without screaming?

Me: "Calm down. I'm getting it."

CL: "Oh I won't calm down! This is my son's car and I've only had it for 5 months and--"

I walk away and get the info. At this point, her husband who must have been at a shop nearby, pulls up. He can see right away that his wife is trying her best to make a scene. I shook my head, wondering what kind of man could deal with this on a daily basis? Was he more of a jerk than she was? I take out my phone and shoot a picture of the "damage." At this point, I truly, truly, truly want her to file a claim with my insurance company. I just want the joy of someone else telling her, "Seriously?"

CL's Husband: "So what happened?"

I explain it briefly. It's clear I'm not lying, and that I am 2 seconds from killing his wife. But, Rain, my Rain, is sitting in the car, listening to me. The man nods his head, and while I open up my insurance card stuff, he open the trunk of his wife's car. He pulls out a rag, and no joke, rubs the entire mark off her car. All that's left is a tiny scratch that can be buffed out. Now CL finally stops her ranting when it is absolutely clear that the damage is laughable. Her husband tells her to sit in the car. I offer my insurance information, and he shakes his head. I give him my phone number, so he can call me with the bill.

He tells me softly that he probably won't even call, as buffing out the damage will cost less than $20.

He was wrong. He called me a few days later. The cost was $5.

Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out (pardon me while I have a Karate Kid moment), breathe in ...

I was livid with CL, but at the same time, I felt so much pity for her husband. He was absolutely cool about the whole thing, but his ogre wife ...

I've thought over the situation many times. When Tim and I first dated, especially before Rain was born, that was the kind of situation I would've never tolerated (someday I'll tell you about the whole mall/police incident) because I firmly believe in justice. Fair justice. Sure, I made a mistake (I should've firmly shut my car door), but did that merit all the verbal abuse? If she had seen me buckling my kid in (by her own admission, she was watching me), why decide to back out just to prove she had some sort of right-of-way?

There was a time I would not have let her talk trash without openly laughing at her (yes, I've done this, too. Sorry, but when someone acts ridiculous ...).

But, Rain. There is always Rain to consider.

God help me not to make my little peacemaker a bitter woman by example. At the time, all I did was finish buckling Rain up and say calmly, "That lady over there is crazy, and we're going to leave now before she makes us crazy, too."

I smiled and drove off, agitated, but more than that, sad for a decent man.