I’ve seen them on YouTube; I’ve heard about them on Facebook and a couple of years ago, they were even mentioned on the television programme, Question Time. Now, I have met one of them for the first time. I met a ‘Karen’.
On Monday, I went into Waitrose car park and headed to the line of disabled parking bays near to the entrance doors. I drove slowly, looking for a space. There were none.
I really need a disabled parking bay because I have to be able to open the door of my Mini as wide as it will go in order to get in and out, easily. None of the eight bays were free and so I went to a group of six bays in the middle of the car park some way away. I parked in the last free bay.
I displayed my blue badge on the dashboard, got out of the car and went to the boot to get a bag. Just as I was about to close it, I heard a woman’s voice from close behind me.
“Where are your children?”
I turned to look at her. “What?” I asked.
“This space is for shoppers with children. Look at the sign.”
I turned to look and she was right. I had thought they were all disabled spaces. The photograph below, was taken after I had shopped and that free disabled space on the other side of the sign had been occupied when the woman accosted me.
“So, where are your children?” she demanded again.
I think that if she had been just a little less threatening and obnoxious and had just pointed out that I shouldn’t have parked there, I would have apologised and moved, as I was in the wrong. But her behaviour became even more aggressive.
People who behave like her have become known as ‘Karens’. A Karen is a middle-class, middle-aged white woman who rebukes other people in angry, public displays. I decided not to move as she was talking to me like that
.“Well,” I said, “I have three children and so I think I meet the necessary requirements to park here. One lives in Cambridge and the other two are in Yorkshire. Would you like to see photos?”
That made her apoplectic. She shouted louder and louder, stepped closer to me and began making furious hand gestures at me. Five people had stopped and were watching with interest.
I tried to soothe her. When I could get a word in I said, “I think you should calm down. People are watching. This is Waitrose, not Tesco, for goodness sake.”
She took her phone out. “I’m going to film you and put you on YouTube. Then, people will see what a selfish bastard you are.”
Despite her trying to physically block me and stop me walking away, I evaded her and went to the store. When I returned, I was pleased to see that she had gone and she hadn’t done what I feared she would do – scratch the car.
So, if you see me on YouTube, please let me know. I am wearing a blue and yellow summery shirt.
Did I remain dignified?
