For one thing, Jade has never climbed on to a luggage carousel. For another, she has never climbed up to the centre of the carousel, ignoring our cries to "Get down right now!"
Yes, I felt sorry for that mother at the Whitehorse airport last Friday whose son just would not listen. The kid should have been old enough to know better than to ride the carousel and then climb up to the top. I think there was a lot more going on with him than simple brattiness, and it might even require some kind of medication.
He ran around on the top, looking down at the stunned crowd. The mother's desperate pleas went completely unheeded by the boy. Everybody stood there in disbelief.
I was standing beside the mother. I leaned over to her and asked, "Do you want me to go get him down?"
"Oh, please," she sighed. She was embarrassed and frustrated.
It took two steps to get to the top of the carousel. The child didn't see me coming. When he came running around the post, he was more than a little shocked to see me up there with him. If he thought the top of the luggage carousel was some kind of a sanctuary, he was mistaken. He fell back onto the flat carpeting on the top of the carousel and lay there.
"Oh, please," she sighed. She was embarrassed and frustrated.
It took two steps to get to the top of the carousel. The child didn't see me coming. When he came running around the post, he was more than a little shocked to see me up there with him. If he thought the top of the luggage carousel was some kind of a sanctuary, he was mistaken. He fell back onto the flat carpeting on the top of the carousel and lay there.
I stood over him, bent down, looked him right in the face and said, "Are you going to get down or am I going to make you get down?"
Still stunned, trying to adjust to the sudden change in his situation, he asked, "Huh?"
Calmly, but just as menacingly, I repeated myself, "Are you going to get down or a I going to make you get down?" I lifted my eyebrows and tilted my head for added emphasis.
My question finally registered and he was quick to make his decision. He promptly slid off the carousel. With three steps back towards the mother, I was down, too.
The mother thanked me and went to restrain the boy, leading him away from the crowd by the arm.
I felt sorry for the mother, but, in truth, I didn't get that boy just for her.
Still stunned, trying to adjust to the sudden change in his situation, he asked, "Huh?"
Calmly, but just as menacingly, I repeated myself, "Are you going to get down or a I going to make you get down?" I lifted my eyebrows and tilted my head for added emphasis.
My question finally registered and he was quick to make his decision. He promptly slid off the carousel. With three steps back towards the mother, I was down, too.
A few people in the crowd clapped. I blushed.
The mother thanked me and went to restrain the boy, leading him away from the crowd by the arm.
I felt sorry for the mother, but, in truth, I didn't get that boy just for her.
I've always wanted to walk up a luggage carousel. It just seemed like a good excuse.
10 comments:
Riding on the luggage carousels used to be so mainstream. It's funny that people are taking all the fun out of childhood and making it less effective as a preparation to adulthood at the same time.
Oops! I should have specified, it's not one of those nice, flat black, plastic carousels . It's one of those tall, sharply angled ones with the scissor blade tracks where the luggage drops down and crushes everything at the bottom.
LOL! Oh that poor mother! How embarassing and I'm sure frustrating. Lucky for her you were there to put an end to the behaviour. How old was the boy?
Fawn and I figure he was nine.
Definitely old enough to know better.
Definitely old enough to know better.
I feel for the mom/kid in this situation. Maybe the kid has some disability that one does not know about... or some behavioural or just plane discipline issues.
My nephew is autistic and older and sometimes things that are not apparent to the general eye set him off ie: crowds/new surroundings etc.
Parenting is never easy!!! Maybe the kid was being just a plain.......!
Whatever the situation I am glad it was resolved peacefully.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure there was something more going on with the kid. He was unusually hyperactive even before we got on to the plane.
Micheal,
I show your (plural to include Fawn) blog to some of my male friends who want to start blogging. You both are such awesome writers. It's always a pleasure to visit.
Authentic. Real. I'm glad you are sharing your struggles with epilepsy.
And, now I'm jealous that you walked on a luggage carousel.
Jen,
And you know the one I mean, too! The one with the stuffed grizzly on it!
And holee make me blush why dontchya!
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