In Which I Help

I went to Wal-Mart today. Surprise! I feel like I go there an awful lot. I should have gone to the farmers' market. But this was close. And it was raining. And I had not much to eat.

I had just picked out a buggy and begun to roam aimlessly about, as I sometimes do. Suddenly a little girl of about 7 years old came up to me and said, "Excuse me, I've lost my mom. Can you help me find her?" I told her I would, of course. I suggested that we go to the customer service desk and call her over the intercom. The little girl, "She told me not to do that." Yikes. I have no idea what situation these folks are in and it was best not to ask. So, I asked if she knew her mom's cell number. Thankfully she did and I typed it in. No answer. Then, the girl went to check to see if their car was still in the lot (who would leave their child at Wal-Mart???). It was. She came back and said, "I think I know where she is. I can find her." And then ran off. I followed her loosely just to be sure that she would, in fact, be reunited with her people. She seemed to be enjoying the freedom of wandering alone and I figured she had no more idea where her mother was than I did. I called the number again. No answer. I tried again. At last someone picked up. It was clear that whoever I was talking to did not speak English as a first language and it took me several tries to communicate that her daughter was looking for her and had enlisted my help. Finally we understood each other and I said, "Come to the frozen pizza aisle. That's where we'll wait for you." I corralled the child and told her that we would wait here. This made no difference to her. "I see my brother." And she ran to him. The two of them ran to another child who was pushing a cart. The three of them (all under 10 years old) talked for a second and then started toward the impulse-buy bins at the registers. I followed, wondering who and where their parents could be. I asked the girl, "Where are your people?" She pointed to a seemingly random woman who was standing nearby. "Are you in charge of these kids?" I said, perhaps rather more sharply than I intended. I saw that she had similar features to the children as she looked at me and nodded absently. "Ok, just checking." And then I wheeled off, amazed.

I have a problem with people. I have a problem with irresponsible people who choose to have more children than they can keep up with (IT IS NOT YOUR RIGHT!!!!). I also disapprove of people who take said children to Wal-Mart (prime kid-snatcher territory!!!!). I do not appreciate being roped into a weird situation. And IF I were the mother of a lost child, I would have the GOOD sense to be thankful to the person who brought my child back to me unscathed.

What really matters is that I did a good deed. I was not upset on my own behalf for not being thanked (maybe a lil bit...). I was upset on the girl's behalf. She felt lost enough and worried enough to ask me for help, yet her mother was not concerned about being separated in the least. That's the troubling bit.

Now I have groceries. Maybe if I eat them I will not have the urge to yell at folk.