If you’re reading this before Monday then the blog post worked. I’m out at festival by now, enjoying a week of woods, drums, fire, dancing, drinking and general-all-around-goodness of people. But, in an effort to keep my promise of posting smaller bites more often, I scheduled this one to drop while I was gone. Not that this post is particularly good or juicy, I just wanted to see if it posted while I was elsewhere. Instant alibi?
Oh yeah, the title? That was just a cover for the fact that I really didn’t have much for you today. I do, but it feels wrong to post it while I’m not here…
I have been driving the Jacksonville-Miami route from May to October. I have pulled into highway rest-stops about once every two trips or so. In my (roughly) 24 stops, three times I have been in real danger of running over a toddler. Real danger. Not just me being over-exhausted and running up on the sidewalk. I mean the kid was wandering alone through the parking lot as I pulled in. Three times!!! That’s 1 out of every 8. I’d say those odds are a little too good. Teresa and I have traveled with Liz and Becca at those ages and we NEVER let them out of our reach. Not once! Why are these people tossing small children at my car?
Twice the kid was waddling through the parking space as I came around the corner, the other time he was sprinting across the parking lot. No adult within fifteen feet. Dad is always at the back of the minivan smoking or plotting the escape from his shitty life. Mom is always ushering the other broodlings into the bathrooms and somehow forgot about the baby.
This last time I had to stop and wait for him to wander over to mommy. When I pulled in to the spot, everyone gave ME that dirty looks! Why aren’t we chastising the shitty mom for letting her kid wander aimlessly about the carpark!? Why am I the bad guy? I just pulled in to use the bathroom and fill up on Mt. Dew, I want no part of your free-range child experiment.
If this kid took a bumper and ended up ten feet in the air, it would somehow be my fault. Mommy doesn’t care enough to miss him, lets him explore rest stops along busy highways, and when he finally connects with a car, it’s our fault…
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