Freak target

Why oh why are they so drawn to me?! Besides the kid in the grocery store the other day, who really was creepy by the way, (after reading my post I think I just sound mean, but it really was weird I tell ya!), there was another, even more freaky, lady in my class last night at the library.

So there I was in the free! Excel class last night, and the teacher started making small talk about how far technology has come and he talked about a company that can put a computer chip in you so your car and house doors will unlock as you come up to them. Then he mentioned how there's a company that has come up with the idea to computer chip your child so if they are ever lost or abducted you could find exactly where they were. Just offhandedly I said, "Hey, sign me up for that!" Man, I never would have said that if I knew the wrath that I would bring upon myself for that casual statement. So there's this tall skinny black lady in front of me who makes some comment that I didn't fully hear about "the mark of the beast". I giggled a little because I thought she was making a joke, but no. It turns out she was talking to me and when I giggled she spun around in her chair and goes, "You shouldn't be laughing! I'm serious! You better quit your laughing because what you don't know CAN hurt you!"

Whoa. I was a little shocked and had to say, "What? I didn't even really hear what you said at first. What?"

Then she says, still deathly serious, "That's the mark of the beast! You better go read Revelations before you go and do that to your kid! Do you go to church? Read Revelations! What you don't know can hurt you!"

And seriously internet, I wish you could just hear her whole freak out. I don't feel like I can get across with mere typing the tone in which she approached me. My only response was, "Yes, I go to church, but I really don't want to get into this discussion with you right now." Holy crap! I realize that lots of people are seriously focused on the "mark of the beast" and have different beliefs about what that actually is, but, again, HOLY CRAP! Are you seriously going to make a scene with me in this little library computer class because I made a flippant remark about keeping tabs on my kids?!

She had it out for me after that. The guy I was sitting next to was telling me how he was tired and was going to head home and go straight to bed after class. I told him that I was probably going to do the same since my son had kept me up the night before because he was sick with strep throat. At the end of class she turned around again for another attack. "Did I hear you say that you had strep throat?!" "No," I said, "my son has strep throat." Then she goes, "Well! I sure wish you would have told me that to begin with! I have to go to work tomorrow and I don't need to be sick! Just cause it's your son doesn't mean you're not a carrier of it!" At that point I didn't even know what to say to her. I didn't want to start anything, because we've got part 2 of class together next week, so I just said "oh, I'm sorry about that," which I totally kicked myself afterward for giving any hint of an apology to her, but it's always easier to think later of what you should or should not have said.

I'll go in prepared next week though. I'm actually hoping we sit in the same spots and that she tries to say something else to me. (And yes I know that's wrong. I shouldn't go looking for conflict.) Maybe I'll get over it by next week and decide to be nice. But maybe not. I really just want to say something very snarky back to her so she doesn't think she can just say anything she wants to me. I'm not one to be pushed around.

On the upside, I did learn the basics of Excel, for free!, and I'm looking forward to class (the learning part) next week.