No Pooh Here

I just came back from my son's school. It is 9:53, school started two hours ago, but we had a follow-up doctor's appointment that I wish we would have missed. He has now completely changed his course of treatment regarding Noah's asthma. Not only are we zapping Noah's future college fund by having to purchase all these medications, but it's even more stuff he's hopped up on now. We will find ways to cut other things out in order to buy his medicines, but it breaks my heart that he has to be on so many. Maybe that is why the following occurred...

I got in my van to come home. I was driving past the school when a man and his CUTE little boxer puppy stopped in the school yard. The dog had to relieve himself. He pooped in the yard. The man looked around (because at this point I had stopped in the middle of the street) and then walked off. I screamed, "YOU'RE KIDDING ME RIGHT?!"

SIDE NOTE: When Mark (my oldest) was in the third grade he went out for recess and fell into a pile of poop. He of course stunk, was made fun of, and was completely embarrassed. So I had to come to school to give him a change of clothes. I'm lucky that most days the kids can easily access me. If I had a full time job outside the home it may have been a while before I could have brought him those clothes. But sometimes there is so much poop in the yard that recess is like playing in a mine field.

So...I jerked my wheel to the left and made a u-ey right there in the middle of the street. By this point the elderly Asian lady, who is walking her two dogs about fifty feet behind this man, is now scared for her life. I can see it in her eyes. She's wondering what that crazy lady in the van is about to do. I'll tell you what I did...

I pulled up to the school and pulled out my plastic bag holder (a paper towel tube) and removed a plastic bag. See, as a mom, I know better than to EVER go anywhere with children in the car and not have a plastic bag.

I got out of the van, located his dog's deposit, and scooped it up. By this time the Asian lady had passed me, but she kept looking back to see my exact location. I'm telling you, she was scared.

I then got back in the van and drove around the block, passing the Asian lady whose eyes were still glued on me and still as big as saucers, to the back side of the school where the man and his CUTE dog were. Then I did the most courageous/dumb thing ever. I stopped. Following is a transcript of our conversation:

Me: Excuse me sir
Dog Owner: Yes
Me: My son goes to school here and one day during recess he fell in poop and was rather embarrassed. I saw your puppy poop back there and just wanted to stop and ask you if next time you could please clean up after him.
DO: I was actually going to go get a bag and come back to clean it up. I didn't bring one with me because he pooped at home and I did not think he would have to go again.
Me (Holding up evidence, I mean bag): Well you don't have to do that this time, because I took care of it for you, but if you could remember next time I know the parents here would really appreciate that.
DO: Yeah, no problem like I said I just didn't this time because...
Me: Okay thank you.

Then I rolled up my window, pulled away from the curb, and let it rip. REALLY!?!! Like I said, I know better than to leave the house without plastic bags and I only transport kids, not dogs.

And, AND if your puppy is your baby be responsible. How many parents leave the house without a diaper bag, regardless of how short their trip will be? Likewise a RESPONSIBLE pet owner should not leave the house for a walk without a plastic bag--especially if you're walking through a SCHOOL YARD!! COME ON! Then, my personal favorite: "I was actually going to go get a bag"...yeah right. You're not going to take the time to go home put your puppy up and walk back over here to look for pooh and clean it up--the school yard is a big one after all.

I tried to be polite because I've been told I can come across ugly sometimes. So I did not say all of the above things I was thinking, and seeing as how I've never done anything like that before I was hoping I wouldn't get shanked or shot. If my husband knew I did this he would let me have it. Telling me "you don't know what people are going to do, he knows your car now what if he does something to it when you're up here at the school. What if he REALLY was going to come back blah blah blah." But if we truly live in a civilized society then we should be able to deal with such problems in a civil manner. I spoke very nicely and even said "please". Plus, I KEPT THE POOH! I should have said "Oh well here let me save you the trouble of walking back." Instead I just SHOWED him the bag. Like I said, I've never done something like this before, and I was still completely frustrated by the latest news at the doctor's office.

So guess who drove home with pooh in her car? I don't know what he's feeding that puppy but it is certainly aromatic! BUT, I bet that man does think twice about letting his puppy poop in the school yard again. And if he doesn't I know that at least the elderly Asian lady will.