conflict in the toy aisle

we were at our hangout, the toy aisle-more specifically the matchbox cars aisle. it's usually just brody & i...others come and go...but we linger. it takes a very long time to pick out the perfect matchbox car that we likely already have at home.

a little boy (maybe 5 yrs old) walks down our aisle. alone. much like brody, he looks at the cars in amazement (they are amazing, afterall). i suspect his mommy is right around the corner...tic toc...minutes pass and he is still alone. i ask him where his mommy is. bad timing. here comes mommy. i look at her with a sense of thankfulness, 'whew, there is his mom' yet she looks at me with accusation. i realize what is going thru her mind. kidnapper.

she moves him away from me as if i am going to snatch him right in front of her. evidently she did not notice my cart full of groceries or my 2 year old toddler on the ground surrounded by toys that i will have to pretend to buy but instead hide throughout all the other aisles when he turns his head...even if i were going to kidnap him, i simply didn't have room for him.

i overhear her tell him to pick out a car for his trip. he does. she says no. he picks another, she says no. finally he turns to me and asks for help. can't blame the little guy-from his perspective i was his new caregiver not a stranger. we picked out the perfect car together. another look shot my way. mommy says no.

like any loving mother, i snap... "if you are going to keep telling him no, then why don't you just help him?" in a very polite yet utterly hateful voice she apologizes but says she was uncomfortable with me speaking to her child in her absence.

lady...repeat what you just said- in your absence...you left him. period. you. left. him. alone.

my response was just as polite yet with a hidden undertone..."i don't love when strangers talk to my child either. i get that, i do. i also do not leave my child alone, ever." those were the words out of my mouth but the words in my head were, if i were going to kidnap a kid it would be one cuter than yours...and you have a fat ass.

kay