While in waitrose today I heard the familiar sound of crying and saw a child out of the corner of my eye. Its a normal occurrence and I didn't pay it much mind as I was on a mission to find something for a party later. Even so, I had this nagging feeling and was a bit dismayed about the fact that it's commonplace to ignore those crying children when they appear to be lost, or left as it seemed to be in this case as I would find later on. On the one hand, it happens so often that you realize is futile to walk up to a child who (1) doesn't speak English, (2) the mom/caregiver is either right there and ignoring the child leaving you to think there is noone around or (3) they are right around the corner and the child hasn't caught up. In which case they will come back to get them...eventually. And while it's also commonplace to touch a stranger's child here, I don't feel its my place to step into a situation that is deemed normal here.Who am I to vilify you when there is very little chance anything bad will happen to your child?
Today I broke protocol and stopped to ask the child if they wanted their mommy, to which they replied yes. The child kind of looked western so I thought they might genuinely be lost.And I find it quite unnatural to ignore a child who is obviously in distress. I took their hand and tried to verbally calm them while walking down the store,looking down each aisle, and talking to the child. I didn't want anyone to think I was trying to steal the child and I certainly didn't want a confrontation with the mom though I felt there was a low chance of that. Anyway, no mom one way. While doubling back I made sure to watch any women who may be mom and a lady walked up who said she was the child's teacher. I explained the child was crying and alone so I stepped in. She took the child-who I keep referring to as such because he/she had such beautiful,curly hair that IDK what the gender was,lol-and went the opposite way only to double back because the mom wasn't there!!They left the store and by the time I checked out I didn't see anyone.
I just find it so hard to believe that child was in the store alone! insane. And not to mention the chance that that wasn't the teacher. Though I wouldn't know anyway.I also thought about the incident the other week where a man exposed himself to a woman in the store.A rare occurrence but still. (sigh) By now Im sure that moment is long gone out of the child's mind but has lingered in mine long enough that I figured Id write about it.
Today I broke protocol and stopped to ask the child if they wanted their mommy, to which they replied yes. The child kind of looked western so I thought they might genuinely be lost.And I find it quite unnatural to ignore a child who is obviously in distress. I took their hand and tried to verbally calm them while walking down the store,looking down each aisle, and talking to the child. I didn't want anyone to think I was trying to steal the child and I certainly didn't want a confrontation with the mom though I felt there was a low chance of that. Anyway, no mom one way. While doubling back I made sure to watch any women who may be mom and a lady walked up who said she was the child's teacher. I explained the child was crying and alone so I stepped in. She took the child-who I keep referring to as such because he/she had such beautiful,curly hair that IDK what the gender was,lol-and went the opposite way only to double back because the mom wasn't there!!They left the store and by the time I checked out I didn't see anyone.
I just find it so hard to believe that child was in the store alone! insane. And not to mention the chance that that wasn't the teacher. Though I wouldn't know anyway.I also thought about the incident the other week where a man exposed himself to a woman in the store.A rare occurrence but still. (sigh) By now Im sure that moment is long gone out of the child's mind but has lingered in mine long enough that I figured Id write about it.
Comments
Post a Comment
gulu habibti