Today I got to work early, still dressed in regular clothes because of previous events, and read my kindle. A mom went to the bathroom and told her two girls to sit for a minute. One was about 5, and the other looked about 9. I glanced at them, but that was it. I saw the 5 year old staring at me so when I looked up she said, "Hi. What's your name?" "Jennifer." "Oh. Do you have toys in your house?" I smiled. That's a common question amongst that age, and they're always totally confused when I say no. A house without toys? There should be no such thing!! But I answered, "Kind of. Not the kind of toys you'd play with but I have my kindle," I held it up, "which I read books on, and a computer to play games on." "What else is at your house?" "Clothes, books, food." I said. She thought a moment and said, "Do you have a kitchen?" Her sister rolled her eyes. "Yep, I have a kitchen." I said. The girls' mom came out and the 9 year old said, "Mom, she was asking this girl if she had toys at her house." The mom laughed. "Well thanks for chatting!" she said.
This is a common occurance for me. Parents appologize or get embarassed, but it's seriously totally normal for me. Standing in line, while I work, while I'm in drive through kids roll down the back windows to talk to me, while I'm mopping the floor they follow me, while I am sitting waiting for a table in a waiting area, while I'm eating with friends some kids have just walked up to my table... it's hallarious. I mean, I feel like it'd be one thing if I was purposely smiling at them or waving or something, but I rarely do that. I'm generally just minding my own business when they stare at me or talk to me, so I talk back to them. My mom said it has never happened to her, just me! And I thought maybe it's my long brown hair? Does something about the way I look do something for kids? But no, I sometimes wear it up in a pony tail and they still do the same thing. Perhaps they hear the sound of my voice and it sounds friendly? No, there are times when I'm not talking and they still do the same thing. I can't quite figure it out.
Once at church on a Wednesday night, we were all eating dinner and I came and sat down with my dad and a new family. I'd never met them. The little girl, Megan, was 3. She got up from her chair and pulled another chair from another table, with great struggle, right up next to mine and climbed up on the chair. She started talking away. Her parents were confued and said, "She's never done that with anybody else before!" I ended up baby-sitting for them and now she is 9.
Another time I sat in Steak and Shake waiting for a friend to arrive when a family walked in with a girl about 3 or 4. There was only one seat open, right next to me. I heard her say, "I want to go sit next to that girl right there Mommy." I glanced over and saw her pointing at me. Her parents said, "No, stay right here." She started to get mad. "I want to go talk to that girl!!" and finally they let her. She climbed up onto the seat next to me and started talking about her newly painted toenails and her pretty dress and all this stuff, haha! It was too funny. The parents appologized and I said, "It's ok, it happens all the time." When they went to sit down she said goodbye like we were friends.
I'm like Santa Claus. :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment