It was so hot yesterday that I took the kids to the pool, which I never do because our community pool is so freaking cold. The water in the pool is so cold, it makes my feet go numb. But because it was so hot, the water temperature was almost tolerable. Almost.
So while I was at the pool, there was this man throwing the ball around the pool with his son. He was standing at one end of the steps into the water, and his son was at the other end, and they were whipping the tennis ball back-and-forth. At one point, the ball hit the table where his wife was sitting, and she yelled at him, "What's wrong with you?? Stop throwing the ball around!"
I expected lifeguard to say something to him, but she was apparently on another planet. It was really upsetting me that they were throwing this ball back-and-forth pretty hard. I don't think it would've seriously injured anyone, but it would've definitely caused a bruise. I was afraid to even go near the pool because I didn't want to get hit.
Finally, I said to the guy, "Would you mind not throwing the ball around the pool? I'm afraid somebody's going to get hit by it."
The guy seemed upset. "It's just a soft tennis ball."
Tennis balls are not that soft if you're throwing them really hard, which it looked like they were. I thought the whole thing was ridiculous. Isn't it obnoxious to be throwing a ball around in an area where people are swimming?
Anyway, his wife yelled at him again to stop, so he stopped. I don't think I overreacted...
I would be annoyed, too. Behave like there are other human beings around or build your own pool.
ReplyDeleteI probably would not have been nice after tbe way he responded to your request. I am super strict when it comes to behaviors/activities in public.
ReplyDeleteWe were at a track meet once, and my wife got hit in the face by a football a couple of kids were "just throwing around".
ReplyDeleteI don't want to come across as anti-fun or anti-innocence, but this mentality that kids have to be occupied with doing something every single second seems to lead them to think they don't have to take others into consideration.
My wife was OK in the end, and the ball throwers apologized and then went back to tossing the pigskin like nothing had ever happened.
His response was lame. He was clearly thoughtless. And you were definitely right to say something and I am sure others appreciated that you did.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are really sensitive. A pigskin can poke an eye out for sure, a little pain if thrown hard but a tennis ball???? They is almost literally no ball softer and more benign than that. They shouldn't be occupying one of the pool but it certainly should not be dangerous.
ReplyDeleteI beg to differ:
Deletehttp://www.sciencephoto.com/media/264259/view
Y think a tennis ball sounds like it could really hurt someone too. Now, if it were a Nerff Ball...
DeleteThe only balls that belong at the pool are the blow up ones or the sponge ones meant for the pool.
ReplyDeleteWe were at my daughter's cross country meet years ago, and a couple of older high-school boys were throwing a football in a crowded area. It did indeed hit my wife in the eye. The boys gave a half-hearted apology and then went back to tossing the ball, although they did go somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing wrong with throwing the ball around, UNLESS there is a significant chance of injuring someone, or even harmlessly bonking someone on the head. Our kids have been raised to be inconsiderate, and to have to be amused every single spare moment. Etiquette? Ha! That's for someone else.