Now you see me (Now you don't)

Kids are really fast. No joke. You might be childless and reading this (in which case, can I refer you to some other websites), and you're thinking "They can't be that fast, they only have tiny weeny little legs". Think again my friend. Those legs are short and stumpy, but when in motion, freakishly quick. I mean circus sideshow fast.

Case History One (in a series of over four thousand instances of close calls): Rite Aid, Hair Care aisle. Holding my then three year old by the hand. Sure John Frieda is a little more expensive, but I bet its good. Still holding child's hand. Where is the conditioner that goes with it? Still holding child's hand. Why can't I ever just find stuff and get the hell out of a store? Why does everything take so damn long? CHILD GONE. That fast. Gone. Not in this aisle, or the next aisle. Now I am that mom that I said I would NEVER be (you know, the one you have in your head before you actually become one), screaming at the top of my lungs but still trying to appear calm and in control.

I have always been lucky. These situations have ended well for me. In that case my daughter was pulling boxes of Trojans and Durex off a display near the pharmacy. I got lucky. Again.

Tonight, coming home from an event at my daughters school, a little boy cycled passed us saying 'Daddy, Daddy, Daddy". I thought that was vaguely odd, but nothing else. Two minutes later a man ran passed us yelling and crying "Have you seen a boy on a bike?". I felt like shit that I hadn't stopped the boy and said "Where's your Daddy?". I really hope that situation ended well. The boy was cycling towards a main road. And I didn't stop him. What is wrong with me? I just didn't want to interfere with a little kid I guess.

It takes a village to raise a family. I learned a really important lesson tonight. Stick your nose into peoples business. The worst that could happen is that somebody will tell you to stay the fuck out of their lives. From now on I'm going to risk that. I would really want somebody to do the same for me.

I really hope that little boy found his Daddy.