I was standing waiting for the lift in Waterstones today. A family came up behind me, 2 adults and 2 boys. The older boy was clearly disabled and his mother was holding him while he struggled to walk. Now if you hadn't seen the boy walking it is unlikely that you would've noticed his disability, but I wouldn't have expected what happened next even if the boy hadn't been disabled.
As the lift arrived I pulled my buggy back to let the people arriving out and I ushered the family in front of me to go first knowing I'd fit in behind them and I was only going to the first floor so I could nip out. Then, this huge woman came storming up with a buggy, practically pushed the family out the way to get into the lift, turned round and said to me "Are you coming? THEY, can take the stairs." I was gobsmacked, there was no way me, my buggy and the family would fit, so turned to the family and said "On you go", they said "We'll wait for the next one." I shrugged and went to push my buggy into the lift but the stupid woman was pushing the close door button. We all stood there a bit gobsmacked, the mother looked like she was going to cry. I was not having a good day, people are evil with last minute Christmas shopping, but having to do it with the added pressure of 2 children, one of whom needs assistance to walk must be hell. The lift takes ages in Waterstones, we were stood there for about 10 minutes and by this time there was a que of buggies behind us. The 2 parents started to argue and the mother said "lets just go" and off they went. I felt so bad for them, I should've said something to the stupid woman but I am normally too unconfrontational.
Anyway, I finally got up to the first floor and was perusing the kids books when I felt my buggy moving. The stupid woman was pushing my buggy with hers so she could get down the aisle. I was sooooo angry I turned round and said "Excuse You" in a rather irrate way. She said to me "Excuse your-f*king-self." I lost my temper and we ended up having a arguement. I was very firm and didn't swear, or raise my voice. She on the other hand called me lots of names including "C*t", in the kids section I might add, at the top of her voice. A staff member came over and told her to leave, which is just as well because she would probably have beaten me up. I tried to explain to the now 3 staff members but they said I should have told them before I started an arguement and asked me to leave too.
I am so embarrassed. I'll never be able to go back into Waterstanes again, and I'm scared the stupid woman finds me and batters me.
Was I unreasonable to loose my temper?