As Grammy Award winner Hillary Clinton once wisely wrote, "it takes a village" to raise a child.
Darla Neugebauer, the owner of the very popular Marcy’s Diner in Portland, Maine, took Clinton’s book to heart when she screamed at a 2-year-old on Saturday.
The incident began when a family ordered their toddler three massive pancakes, but for some reason refused to feed the child. In typical terrible twos fashion, the child began to cry, begging for some food.
The bawling continued for almost an hour before Neugebauer got involved. The diner owner said the order did not make sense for a small child because the pancakes were "bigger than her head—and then they didn’t even feed them to her."
A Washington Free Beacon analysis found 23 percent of Marcy’s Diner Yelp reviews mentioned the pancakes, almost all positively. Many of those included their appreciation of the diner’s generous portions.
Feeling responsible for her other customers’ experience, the responsible woman confronted the parents, John and Tara Carson. She asked the couple to either take the girl outside or leave the establishment. After the parents refused, Neugebauer lost her cool.
"I might snap, and I do scream at times," Neugebauer said. "But it’s all it is, just leaning over the counter and yelling."
At the time, she screamed, "This needs to stop!" The toddler immediately stopped crying, but the parents were furious.
According to Tara Carson’s recollection of the incident, Neugebauer told them, "You are lucky I didn't get really fucking nuts because being physical is not something I cower from."
So is Neugebauer sorry about stepping up to confront the parents for the sake of a little girl, her staff, the 75 customers present, and her own sanity?
"Sorry isn't the right word. I might have used poor judgement," Neugebauer told an NBC affiliate. "I wouldn't say I was sorry, because it stopped. When things stop, it's usually a good thing."
When the parents could not control their child, Neugebauer did what had to be done. She may not be the hero Portland deserves, but she is the hero Portland needs. Clinton would be proud.