Hi. I feel like a bit of an idiot, but basically I tend to accidentally 'blank' people when I'm out sometimes. Most of the time it's because I'm in my own little world, deep in thought about something or just concentrating on what I'm doing, and I don't notice who's around me. Anyway - I was pulling into the school car park a few days ago, it was rainy, I'd had a busy/harrassed afternoon and I was looking for a carpark. Our school carpark is a nightmare at the best of times. Just as I was trying to drive into the parking space, a mum came around the corner holding a young child's hand, and I couldn't drive my car forward until she'd moved out of the way. I sat there and waited, but then her child stopped walking and started to touch the bonnet of my car so I suppose I just sat there expressionless until the mum had moved him out of the way. I don't know why I didn't look at her face as she was standing directly in front of me, but I was feeling a little stressed (pushed for time) and for some reason I didn't recognise her. Then I noticed that the mum yanked her child away from the car and walked past my window, & it was then that I realised it was someone that I'm usually quite friendly with and our sons have played together on and off. I felt really bad that I'd stared straight at her and thought I would try & catch up with her once I'd parked the car, but couldn't find her after that.
It played on my mind a bit that afternoon because she'd looked cranky when she walked past, so I sent her an email that night and apologised that I hadn't realised it was her. I told her that sometimes I just don't notice people due to being pre-occupied etc, & then I added a few chatty lines about school and our boys. It was a definite apology but I tried to keep it lighthearted at the sime time, as I didn't want to make more of an issue out of the whole thing. Anyway - a few days went by, and no response. I started to think that perhaps she didn't receive the email, and then I saw her at school again this morning. I was standing there with dh and she just walked straight past me, so once dh had left I went and found her to try & talk to her. She was a bit strange toward me and she also said she'd gotten my email, so it looks as though she just chose not to respond. After about a minute she said a an abrupt 'goodbye' and left. I feel really stupid now to be quite honest, and cranky with myself for being so unobservant. I also know I was feeling a bit irritated at the time (in the carpark) and unfortunately it might've been a bit obvious to her. Perhaps I shouldn't have emailed her about it but I was worried that I'd offended her, so thought it was the best thing to do.
Now it seems I am left with this uncomfortable situation. What do you think - did I do the right thing in trying to address it with her, and has anyone else ever been in the same boat?! I'm feeling a bit upset and starting to wonder how many people I've offended in the past through not noticing them. I remember my neighbour getting quite offended years ago because I'd not even seen her in the supermarket when she'd said hello to me.