Every single year, we hear news stories about people leaving their children in a hot vehicle. The reason these stories make the news is because in many cases, these children die. A car’s temperature can rise to dangerous levels very quickly and this is disastrous for living things, whether it’s children or dogs. It’s so hard to understand why people leave their children in their cars and at the same time, I know how challenging it can be as a parent to unload the kids for a quick trip into a store or something. I get it. I do. But it’s just not worth the risk. You never know what can happen. And in some tragic cases, a parent truly just forgets. It’s terrifying to think about. In the story below, you’ll read about a special kind of stupidity and selfishness. I can’t believe this mom.
(I am a technician. I am given an SUV to perform a brake job. I hop in the car and drive it into the shop when I glance in the rearview mirror and spot a small boy strapped into his carseat. He smiles and waves at me. I whip around and look at him with a dumbfounded look.)
Me: “Uhh. Why are you in here?” Boy: “Mommy said I can stay in the car.” Me: “I think your mother was mistaken.”
(I roll down the window and shout for my shop foreman. He walks up and his jaw drops. I un-strap the child much to his dismay, and walk him into the lobby while holding his hand.)
Mother: “HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY CHILD! I’M CALLING THE COPS!”
Me: “Don’t shout at me. Why on earth did you think leaving your son in your car was a good idea? Do you have any idea how hot it was in your vehicle by the time I got into it?!”
Mother: “He’s restless. The only time he calms down is when he can nap in the car! WHY DID YOU TAKE HIM OUT?!”
Me: “Ma’am. I am not leaving a child in a hot car five feet in the air while I perform service on it.”
Shop Foreman: “Go ahead, ma’am… Call the police, and explain to them why your son’s energy is reason enough to leave him in a hot car with the windows up… I think they might side with us.”
(She sputters profanity at us for about 3o seconds before storming out of the store looking for her car.)
Shop Foreman: *to me* “Are you gonna back her car out?”
Me: “I was thinking of going to lunch, actually.”
Image: Explore More UK/Pixabay
