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Saturday, October 3, 2009

I really should have said something to her!

You really have to be out of touch if you don't realize how much danger children face in every day life. I saw something a couple of days ago that really upset me and the more I think about it, the more I realize I should have been an "asshole" and spoken my mind.

I went to the drug store a couple of days ago and parked in a space across from the front door. I did my shopping and when I exited I noted two things:

1: A younger woman with an infant in a buggy and a three/four year old girl standing next to her was parked in the space just in front of the door.

2: An older (60-65ish) man was pulled up behind her causing the vehicles to form a "T" and his trunk was in line with her tailgate.

First off, I was ticked because the old man was just sitting there with the car running (probably waiting for someone to come out of the store) and blocking the exit walkway. Anyone coming out had to go around his car to get to the lot... which I did.

Secondly- the little girl walked to the far side of the van where it was impossible for her mother to see her. This put the little girl right in line with the driver's window/door of the old man sitting there in his car.

Having raised quite a few children my parental instinct kicked in and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I went to my truck, got in and started it but did NOT pull off. I watched as the little girl looked curiously at the old man, then wandered closer to his window. He waved and smile and she giggled and waved back, then began to walk a bit closer. She wandered back to side of the van (mom was STILL oblivious to what was happening) and the old man waved and she smiled, waved and walked back toward his door. This went on for a good minute or two while mom loaded crap into the van.

The old man noticed me watching them and pulled his car up about 5 feet, then stopped. The little girl moved toward him once again with a curious look on her face. It was obvious that she didn't know him. The man looked over at me and I'm guessing since I wasn't leaving it bothered him because he freakin' LEFT!

It wasn't until 20 seconds or so after he pulled off that the mom came around to that side of the van, where she could now SEE her child. She opened the door, put the child in and they left.

I may be paranoid, but I don't give a damn. I was ready to slam my truck into his car and pin him against the curb if he made a move to grab that little girl. The situation may have been totally innocent, it may have been nothing. But damn it all! That mother could have lost that little girl in a heartbeat and the man would have had a good minute to two minutes to get away without the mother knowing that something had happened. And in that amount of time given the area we were in he could have disappeared without a trace.

I *almost* went over and said something to the mother. I probably should have.

If nothing else, my paranoia may have saved an innocent child. I could only hope that someone would do the same for mine if I were ever stupid enough to put my child in that kind of situation.

All I can say is that it felt wrong. And I'm glad that I did what I did. I wish I had stepped up and done more. I won't be there next time her mom isn't paying attention.

2 comments:

  1. I think you handled it correctly, for what it's worth. I understand your wish you'd done more... but I really think what you did was the best that could be done.

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  2. You DID do something--you watched. You were protecting her. Saying something to the mom may have had no effect whatsoever. But you might have made an impression on that little girl.

    Bravo. go with your gut ALWAYS. Creepy feelings usually mean there's a creep around.

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