I Wonder...

I had occasion to stop by the Redneck Central General Horspital and Sock Emporium a few days ago, visiting Mum (she was in with a generally non-threatening by mighty unpleasant ailment). I drove around and around the parking lot before deciding to bend reality a little and park in the clergy spaces. Now, don't fret; I AM clergy, an ordained minister in fact. It's just that I wasn't really there for clerical purposes, unless you consider clean frilly-unmentionables as spiritually uplifting, which, now that I think of it, I do, so there.

The clergy spots are at one end of the lot, a goodly but not unpleasant or difficult walk to the entrance. Nearer the entrance were spaces reserved for doctors and then handicapped folks, and finally, closest of all, were these:

These spaces were full, save one. As I chanced to walk by, that one was filled by an SUV of enormous proportions. Once it was parked, out stepped two women who were easily in their fifties, perhaps sixties.

I wonder which of the able-bodied women was expecting?

I understand the frustration of finding a parking space at this hospital - it's a wonderful facility, but there's a dearth of parking in their lot, and folks often have to park across the street and hoof it, which can be awkward when bringing supplies or contraband nibblies in to their loved ones.

Frustration or not, unless those women were both illiterate or non-English speaking, and didn't recognize the meaning of the stork picture, what were they thinking? Women in labor don't need to be walking halfway across the lot to check in. Women who are lazy or rude, on the other hand...

And no, I don't give a damn that they were a bit older...they were both perfectly fit, walking quickly and without assistance, neither one on oxygen, neither one handicapped in any visible way. One's age does not privilege one to rudeness and selfish disregard for others and for posted signs.

I was sorely tempted to ask them "So which one of you is expecting?" or "When are you due?"