On most days, I pride myself on being a decent person; someone who believes in doing the right thing when it counts. But today was not one of those days.
While my daughter and I strolled through Costco, relishing our enormous chocolate frozen yogurts, we approached a fellow mom with two little ones seated side-by-side in her shopping cart. Just as we neared them, the little boy suddenly leaned over and, to my horror, vomited. Right in our direction. It was an alarming scene, and we were in the splash zone with our treats.
Before I dive deeper into this mortifying moment, let me share a bit about my history with vomit. Throughout my three pregnancies, I battled a severe condition called hyperemesis gravidarum. I experienced relentless nausea and vomiting, often requiring hospitalization and IV treatment. To say that I have developed a strong aversion to vomit is an understatement. Whenever my kids catch the stomach flu, I either summon my husband for help or retreat to a safe distance, cheering them on from the hallway like a guilty coach.
This has led to my children becoming quite independent when it comes to dealing with sickness—an unintentional but perhaps beneficial outcome.
Returning to the Costco incident, I found myself frozen in shock. My stomach churned, but then I remembered the napkins I had stashed in my purse. This mom could surely use them. I contemplated holding my breath and offering her the napkins with a supportive nod of empathy.
But just then, the boy leaned over again and unleashed what seemed to be the entire contents of every Costco sample table, repeatedly. The mess was everywhere. I was no longer paralyzed; I was in full flight mode. I dashed away, pushing my daughter and her chocolate yogurt through the aisles as quickly as possible, desperate to escape the scene.
I didn’t look back, and I felt a pang of guilt for not helping another mother in distress. I had napkins; she was clearly in need. But when faced with the horror of public vomiting, my instincts kicked in, and I had to get out.
So, to the mother at Costco with the vomiting child: If your kid had been choking, I would’ve jumped in without a second thought. If he had fallen and hurt himself, I’d have done whatever it took to help. But the sight of that projectile vomiting was simply too much for me to handle. I sincerely apologize.
Now, I sit here, bracing for whatever karma may come my way—perhaps a stomach flu storm brewing in my own home. We’ll see.
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In summary, sometimes our instincts can lead us to surprising actions, especially in stressful situations like the one I faced at Costco. While we strive to support one another in motherhood, our own limitations can sometimes dictate our responses.