Rant!

I'm writing this blog from my new phone (I hope it works!!)

I'm also writing this while sitting in my car. I'm at the cemetery, I've just tidied Nan and Grandad's grave and left fresh flowers and one of those childrens windmills - Grandad loved the outdoors and the weather and I like the idea of him being able to see if the wind's blowing...

That's not why I'm blogging though, to tell you that. I just wanted to explain where I am.

I'm a little speechless and upset, and angry. I've had a key to the cemetery gates for the last 4 years and have permission to drive my car inside the cemetery because it's so big and I can't walk all that far. Other people have keys and bring their cars round to their loved ones graves too, in fact I can see another parked car.

Today as I drove in, a woman who was walking down the looong entrance drive with her mum kept staring back at me driving toward them. As I got closer, I could see that she looked FURIOUS.

I couldn't work it out - I wasn't going over 5mph and it wasn't like I had music blaring or anything... anyway, she walked into the middle of the roadway and flagged me down.

I couldn't believe it when she accused me of having no respect, and how DARE I have the cheek to drive into the cemetery - couldn't I see how her 84 year old mother was struggling, and if she could put in the effort of walking all this way surely I could? I (too politely) pointed out that both sets of gates are always left open on a Saturday, and she could have driven in too. She laughed sarcastically and said that at my age I shouldn't be so god damn lazy and I should feel ashamed of myself.

They both looked VERY well-to-do and she spoke with that distinctive public school drawl. You'd have thought that she'd know better.

I honestly couldn't believe that this was happening, and in a graveyard too! I reached into my glovebox, showed her my disabled Blue Badge and told her that perhaps she should refrain from judging so quickly.

Imagine my surprise when she informed me that I cannot have a Blue Badge as I was under the age of 65!!! As quick as a flash I said, oh does that mean that you can't have disabilities and illnesses until you're 65? And where did she think I got the hologrammed Badge from? And then I told her that she was being ridiculous.

At this point an elderly lady in a mobility scooter who had stopped to see what was happening told the woman to leave me alone and let me pass or she would call the police.

Without another word, the woman and her mother turned and started walking off into the cemetery, while I sat incredulous. The lady who stopped to help remarked loudly for the women's benefit that she didn't even have the decency or manners to aplogise, then asked me if I was ok. I said that I was and thanked her. She gently told me not to let it trouble me and went on her way.

But I'm so upset. It's difficult enough coming here as it is without something like this happening. Why do some people think that they have the right to say such things to someone? Ok she may be grieving blah blah blah but so am I. It's no excuse for her behaviour. I'm just going to have to forget it or I'll go mad. I'm going to go home now.

xx


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