Monday, January 28, 2008

The Kindness of Strangers

I got to go away this weekend, and didn't get to post his before I left, but I damn near got my child killed last week. It all started when I decided to take the children to the state museum to meet some friends and their kids. We usually bring the strollers, do a few laps on the concourse below to get some exercise, then bring the kids to the discovery area to play. Finally, we head up and have lunch. The nice thing about going with other moms is that we all kind of watch out for each other's kids. Or really, they keep an eye on mine cause I'm easily distracted. But seeing as they also have their own kids to watch, I shouldn't really rely on that. Case in point: today, we had finished lunch and were packing up to leave. The museum is part of the Empire state Plaza, complete with several office buildings, visitors' areas, etc. It's a busy place. As I was attempting to make sure all of my Tupperware containers were back in the bag and ready to go, my friend drags Helen over and tells me that she wandered around the corner and down the hall and some complete stranger got up from eating her lunch to bring her back. Oops. Thank you, kind lady.
Then we got to our van. At this point, the moms have all gone their seperate ways and it's just me and the girls. I instruct Ruthie to get out of teh stroller as I search in vain for the sippy cup that Helen is screaming for. It is past naptime and she is exhausted an unable to understand that mommy left the sippy cup in the museum and is not going back to get it, and perhaps if Helen had not run away and had to be rescued by a stranger, Mommy would have remembered it. I launched a final search of the diaper bag and lunch bag, searching for the cup, when I hear a woman's voice. I poke my head out of the van and realize I don't se Ruthie. Before I can register the thought that someone might be trying to kidnap my child, this very kind woman appears on the sdiewallk with Ruthie and tells me that she wandered into the VERY BUSY street. The woman experessed concern because the cars go very fast down thee street and a little girl might easily get run over. She is so right. I thank her and watch the cars whiz by as I strap Ruthie into her seat. Thank you, kind lady #2.
Where would my poor kids be without the kindness of strangers?

1 comment:

karen said...

Some days, toddlers are harder to keep hold of than greased pigs.

+1 WMP for voicing reason to an overtired kid and not going back for the sippy cup.

Maybe ziploc baggies would be better on museum trip days? Nothing to gather up at the end, except for trash. Might be a relief not to have to do the Tupperware inventory when the kids are clearly ready to be somewhere else!