April 10, 2009

I'd like to tell you a story.

It's a story that has a happy ending... but doesn't.

Last Thursday, I had to stop into the WalMart nearest my office during my lunch break. I went into the store to buy a laundry marking kit for my uniforms. While I stood in what I thought the appropriate aisle, a small child... well, maybe not so small (she was about 7 or 8) came to the end of the aisle that I was nearest too. She was n tears. I asked her what was wrong and she said that she couldn't find her mommy. Well, what is a policeman to do? especially when he is the father of girls?

I introduced myself to the kid (she immediately began to calm down, as I was in uniform), and told her that I would help her.

I walked back to where she had last seen her mother, and not surprisingly, her mother was looking for her! Mother and daughter are re-united (and it feels so good!) and all is right with the world... right? Cue that happy ending, play the music, and bring the lights up.

STOP!

It wasn't over.

While I was consoling the frightened kid, the mother spotted us and marched up and scolded the kid for wandering off. While it is certainly reasonable to scold a child who failed to follow instructions, a little understanding should have taken place. The kid had been afraid.

Anyway, I wanted to tell the lady that I had wanted to help, and was going to head back to my shopping... but I never got that far, as the lady snatched her child and looked at me like I was some sort of a pervert, trying to abduct her kid.

You know what? I totally get that. You can't be too careful, right?

What bothered me about the whole thing is that our world is in such awful condition that she even had to suspect anything like that.

Sometimes being highly observant isn't what it's cracked up to be. Maybe I should try self-interested oblivion instead.

The ride back to work was no fun.

http://gunfighter1.typepad.com/warrior/2009/04/fatherhood-friday-no-good-deed-goes-unpunished.html