I’m back. I had an excellent trip to New York City. The Euro-Pro event was great and I have so much to share with you.
However, this trip made me realize, I’m not a flyer. That is putting it mildly. Granted, it was only my second time flying, but I can honestly, boldly and loudly say, I do not EVER want to fly again. Thank you very much, I’ll keep my feetsies on the ground. I have horrible motion sickness, which carried on over to Friday as well.
Friday night, I was back with my family and life was good. We went for dinner at a local family restaurant. It’s one of our favorite places. While we were eating our dinner another family sits at the table next to our booth. Actually, two different families. I don’t know the connections, but the one was what I’m guessing to be a single mother of a child.
Folks, I’m going to be blunt. It was painful to see. My heart still hurts and every time I think of it, I cry. This child was no older than 4 years of age. The mom was so rough, not only in the way she spoke, but the actions she took. When a child flinches as someone reaches out, it’s alarming. I wasn’t staring, I wasn’t being nosy. It was right there, right in front of me. You couldn’t help but take notice.
Paige was restless throughout dinner and Brand ended up taking her outside to run around, while I sat with Johnny so he could finish his dinner. I don’t know what happened between this mother and young child, like I mentioned, I didn’t want to be nosy. This mother flew off the handle. She gets up and the child flies off the chair and starts running around the table to avoid the mom. She finally catches her child and drags he/she to the bathroom, dragging this child by one arm.
Inside I’m cringing, but you know, we’ve all had bad days. Pair that with a little one who doesn’t want to mind…it’s not easy being a mom. I don’t want to judge. I don’t. It’s not my place to judge, but what came next horrified me.
They both come back to their seats and the little one is crying and holding his/her face. Half of his/her face was bright red. This child was obviously hit in the face/head. Not only did I see this, my 9 year old saw this too.
I lost it, shaking with anger and disgust, crying because my heart was breaking. Right then I told Johnny we needed to go. I paid, while crying and left. I was a big mess. I wanted so badly to confront that mother, maybe not in front of everyone, but off to the side. I’m ashamed to say that I wanted to smack the shit right out of her (cure violence with violence?). She does this in public…what’s life like at home for that child? Think about that one. Leaves you feeling sick, doesn’t it?
When we got home there was a message from the folks at the restaurant, they had ended up calling the police. For that, I’m thankful. I know that I should have, but didn’t have the courage. Part of me, the tired-nauseous-never flying because I feel like crap part, was afraid that I was over-reacting. Today, I know I wasn’t. I know that now. I’m still angry at myself for not stepping up for that child. Would I have made it worse for them? Probably. That was the last thing I wanted to do.
What would you have done?
