There were ugly words going on at the back of the store, where the children’s things are. A woman was tearing her kid apart, name calling and spewing relentless fury. When I reached the back of the store, I saw the quintessence of beauty towering over nothing more than a baby, proclaiming him the worst thing that ever happened in her life. He just sat among a pile of books pulled from a shelf , trying to learn the art of escapism early.
His hair reminded me of my daughter’s at that age, tight spirals framing a seraphic face. I’d pull her curls taut ,let go and watch them bounce back against her head,like fluffy springs .I’d say out loud,”Boing. Boing.”. We’d both laugh,her because she was 2 and boing boing begs to be laughed at when you’re 2 -and me,because a 2 year olds laughter is infectious joy and begs to be rolled in revelry .
The woman pivoted on her Tina Turner legs in black stiletto heels and barked ,”Come on,get up.GET UP.We’re going.NOW!”. I saw his little body lurch unnaturally and stumble as he tried to oblige his Mommie Dearest’s wishes. It took me a moment to realize that the cute little monkey backpack strapped to his small frame had a long leash attached to it and she was yanking on it, trying to get his little body to move faster than it was meant to.
Her black leather jacket creaked and spoke as she positioned her hand around the end of the tether,wrapping it around her wrist like a dog owner trying to control the animal at the end.Proud and bestial, she straightened herself,shoulders flung back and with long strides, walked towards the exit.
I willed an invisible loop of carpet to curl itself around her toe,making her fall flat on her face and knock the nastiness out of her. I wished for scissors to magically appear in my hand, their gleaming blades severing the child’s tie to contempt. A voice in my head said,”You can’t save them all,” but I know that even years from now, I’ll be wondering about him.
Some of the most beautiful people in this world are the most repulsive. There isn’t enough Estee Lauder in the world to cover it up.
8 responses so far ↓
Maria // August 28, 2008 at 1:24 pm |
Every day I stop by to read and *Every day* it looks different and I spend 5 minutes making sure I’m in the right place. LOL
That is why I’m pretty much against the backpacks. So many people misuse them. She sounds like a real bitch.
Jupiter // August 28, 2008 at 2:18 pm |
haha! I know.I can’t make up my mind what I want as a temporary design until I can find the time to sit down and make one myself that I like better.
Yeah,I’ve always hated them. But wow…she sure did look pretty and she was dressed really nice. That counts for oodles in parenting,right?
Del // August 28, 2008 at 4:46 pm |
Beauty is but skin deep. And I bet most of hers was painted on.
I know it sounds fascist but sometimes I wish that people had to pass parenthood tests and if they failed theh they would be sterilized. OK. it’s a flawed idea and wouldn’t work because it would be wide open to abuse. But still, sometimes I wish ….
Dragonfly // August 28, 2008 at 8:21 pm |
Some people truly shouldn’t be parents – I always hated those leash type things.
DaisysMom // August 28, 2008 at 10:37 pm |
Why is it every time I see someone with their kid on a leash, it looks like they are abusing them? I’m sure it’s not the case but I always seem to see the angry parents who are yanking and pulling their kids. It makes me feel sick to my stomach. I hope when these parents are old that the kids put their parent’s wheelchair brakes on and leave them sit someplace.
estela // August 29, 2008 at 12:08 am |
This makes me soooo angry. I feel so bad for this little boy and his mommy dearest mom!
Debi // August 29, 2008 at 12:47 pm |
I actually read this post first last night, and it left me in tears. You know, those sad helpless kind of tears, which are really the worst kind of tears of all. I didn’t comment, because I just didn’t know what to say. I still don’t know what to say.
But why is it that society seems to value physical beauty so much more highly than inner beauty?
Kel // August 29, 2008 at 2:27 pm |
holy crap! That is so sad…I never used the backpak thing because moments like this I just hate. I understand being aggrevated or frustrated or simply having a crappy day…but to take it out on a kid like that – someone should’ve smacked that woman!
Thanks for stopping by, I always enjoy meeting new people!
~K