Paging All Mothers....

I had an interesting moment at Wal-Mart over the weekend. I ran to pick up a few items and after I went through the check out line, I proceeded to leave the store. I admit I was kind of in my own little world. I knew I could hear some screaming, but it took a few screams before I snapped to and realized that a child was lost and was screaming for her mother. By this time I had just hit the detectors at the exit of the store when I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around.

What I saw completely froze me in place for a good 10 - 15 seconds. A little girl, about five years old, with big brown eyes and dark curly hair, frantically screaming "MOM!" and searching for anyone who looked like her mother. She had a little walmart bag in her hand and I guess she thought that her mom left without her so she had been running for the exit to find her. She had been behind me the entire time. So when I stopped and looked at her, she stopped and looked at me. Her eyes showed just how terrified she was. I looked at her and then looked around at the 3 walmart employees who were just standing there. I looked back at the terrified girl, then back at all three employees.

I admit, I felt myself getting a little irritated that the employees were just standing there and weren't offering to help this girl. After about 15 seconds I leaned toward her and said "Are you okay?"

She looked at me with her big, brown, tear filled eyes and shook her head. Then she quietly muttered "I want my mom."

I said "You don't know where she is?" and she shook her head again.

I said "Okay" then looked at the employee who was closest to her and said "Do you think you could help her find her mother?"

He gave me a dumbfounded look and said "You're not the mother?"

I gave a half laugh and said "No, I'm not the mother"

He took the little girl by the shoulder and said "Let's go page your mom". And with that, I walked out of the store.

For the love people! Do I look like a mother?!?!

Oh wait...I actually do.

No wonder they weren't helping her. The girl was basically following me out of the store. I'm sure they just thought I was simply ignoring her tantrum.

I guess it's a good thing I didn't start yelling at any of those employees like I wanted to. And it's probably a good thing that I stopped to help. Had I not, they may have had me arrested for child abandonment.