3 Overheard Children

I was walking across the park towards home when I passed a small group gathered around two dogs -  strangers exchanging stilted pleasantries while their pets sniff bums. On one side was a young couple with fixed smiles and on the other a grandad, a tiny girl rutting her scooter against a bin, and a little boy who I would put at around five or six years old. 

The boy asked, "Can I.... can I touch him?" looking intently at one dog.

The couple agreed and grandad said, "Ok now but remember -  slowly."

The boy reached out oh so cautiously then paused. 

"No wait! Mum and Dad say I can't touch a dog when he is playing with his friend so I will have to wait."

He stood and waited politely with his hands behind his back.  When the dogs had finished sniffing and yapping he nodded to himself, tentatively reached out, and patted the dog's head. "Careful now" said grandad. 

As I walked past my heart felt happy-sad.  He made me think of the nervous little boy I once was, who would follow the rules closely because if he was careful and kind with the world then the world would careful and kind with him. 

*******

A few days later life I browsed a book shop on Broadway Market (the type that profits on fizzy impulse buys like 'The 8 Rules of Decluttering Your Soul' and 'Vintage Dogs + Artisanal Wallpaper: A Photo Essay') 

"Mum! Why is this book so small?" cried a mop of hair in dungarees. "Mum! Look there are monsters on this one! Mum what is that one for? Are we going yet? MUM. Mum Look. LOOK!'. 

A mum turned to find her son had nothing of significant interest to show. He was clawing clumsily at a random book. She sighed and ignored him, showing a certain mastery as that volume was not easily tuned out. 

"MUUUUM! Why does he have an eye in his mouth?"

Now this question caught attention, curious glances flitted from around the shop. There, on a glossy magazine cover, was a man with a glassy eye-ball popping out of puckered lips.

His mum considered the cover for a good ten seconds - tilting her head one way and then the other.  

"Good question" she said. And then led her boy away by the hand. 

*********

Later in a coffee shop twin girls in identical dresses and neatly fixed hair wait by the counter for their mum. An investigation into a school-friend has been launched. 

"What age is she?"

"I dunno."

"I like to know. I am six and a half. Half seven? I am half seven. If I am older than her I know more. What age is she?"

"I don't know! Stop judging people!"

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