NYC Angry Woman at Macy's Parade

An installment by our dear resident dad:

Let me say right up front that I have had more than my fair share of angry moments. I do my best, however, to shield them from members of the general public. Our recent trip to New York presented a ‘worst practice’ in parental anger management at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Along with 3.5 million others, our small family of 4 arrived somewhat late at the corner of 40th and Broadway and moved as close to the front of the police barricade as we could. A friendly couple from Weymouth, MA suggested we tell the kids in our group to move closer to the front for better viewing. With some trepidation, we nudged our daughters forward, securing them front row seats a somewhat safe distance from Mom and Dad. The surge ensued moments later. More and more parade enthusiasts arrived on 40th Street, and believe it or not, they were also interested in getting a good view of the parade. Mr. and Mrs. Weymouth and I were now even closer than I had been to my wife the previous night in the small Manhattan hotel room we shared with the girls. But we all made the best of it. Except, that is, for Angry Woman.

She was a small mother of 3 or 4, with a green hat, a fancy camera with a large lens, and a shrill New York/Jersey accent. And she was unhappy with the size and position of the crowd. “We can’t see,” she shouted. “You’re in front of my kids. We’ve been here since 7:30,” she continued yelling into the air, at no one particular person. Apparently she believed that large public events like the parade include strict first-come, first-see standing assignments, and that everyone else on the street was maliciously violating the ‘rules’.

I understand her frustration. I didn’t get to see Ann Curry when we got up early to fight the Today Show crowds at Rockefeller Center, but I didn’t spit at the at the fill-in anchor or throw things onto the stage during Barry Manillow’s performance on the plaza. Throughout the parade, however, Angry Woman continued yelling at various tall – and some short – people, who wandered or lurched under the weight of the crowd in front of her camera/children. At one point, she wailed, “We can’t see. You’re in front of us, and you’re not ducking,” an absurd comment for any occasion really. “Go home.” “Put your kids up front.” “Shut up!” some crowd members responded. “Angry Woman should lighten up,” I said to my wife, as I pointed our flip video camera in her general direction and pressed the record button. Despite our surprise at her behavior, it was a good reminder for us all about how to act – and more importantly, how not to act – in public, particularly in the YouTube age.

Play the video below for a sample:



Wishing you all a peaceful and stress-free holiday season. Don’t be an Angry Woman!