Christopher

[plumtreeblossom]

Leaving the T at Davis at about 10AM this morning, I walked past the bus benches and saw a little boy sitting by himself, weeping silently. His eyes were huge and frightened. I turned back and leaned down, as reassuringly/non-threateningly as I knew how, given how little experience I have interacting/communicating with children. "Hello. Is there something wrong...?"

He let loose a sob and whispered "I want my mommy. Can't find my mommy." His beautiful ebony hands were clutching each other in despair. How many other adults had just passed right by him and not stopped? I leaned in, putting my hand softly on his thin little back.

"My name is Mary. I'm going to stay with you until we find your mommy. I won't leave you until we find her, I promise." I meant it. I would not have left him. I would have postponed the job interview I had later that day, so strong was my instinct to keep this child safe.

He nodded. He had some kind of printed Tyvek ID band on his wrist, not like hospital bands I've seen -- I don't know what it was, but first things first, I searched for and found his first name; Christopher.

I knew we had to get to the transit police, who were all downstairs. Christopher agreed to go. On our brief ride down the first escalator, I had just enough time to tell him about how I got lost in a department store long ago and couldn't find my mommy.

"When you were a little kid?"

"Yes. But a store lady found me, and she helped me find my mommy, just like we're going to find yours." We had just reached the bottom when we heard an enraged banshee shriek from upstairs.

"CREES-TOE-FER!"

I wish this wasn't how the story ended.

Christopher sprinted the length of the Up escalator to the sound of his mother screaming at him in a language I don't know, something Caribbean or Creole, maybe. I followed him back up the escalator and grazed the top just in time to see his mother finish her rant and turn her back on him and start walking away, harshly whipping a baby stroller and baby with her. She was leaving him behind (perhaps again), but stopped when I approached.

"Is this your son?"

"Yes."

"Christopher, is this mommy?"

He nodded, never taking his eyes off her.

There was nothing more I could do. It isn't illegal to scream at your traumatized, frightened child who has just been lost. Such is this sometimes awful world.

~

I hope someone tonight is being kind to Christopher. I hope someone gives him a hug, a smile, a warm dinner. I hope someone tucks him into bed and says "I love you." I hope he has a bed to be tucked into.

Comments

[kencf0618.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful, awful story...

[beowabbit]

Oh, sweetie! What a disheartening experience! To be fair to his mother, it probably was pretty frightening to see him going down into the T with a stranger — but sounds like she was getting ready to leave him alone again, so she can’t have been too concerned you were carting him off to make Soylent Green!

[chienne-folle.livejournal.com]

*hug* It's SO hard to watch that kind of thing happen and know that you can do nothing. You did what you could do; for a few minutes, you showed him what an adult who cared looked like.

I remember being in the parking lot of a strip mall, several years ago now, while we were living in Virginia. There was a little boy, maybe all of five years old, screaming and crying. I went closer to see what was wrong, and discovered it: his mother. His mother was getting in her car and telling him that he couldn't come with her, because he'd been bad. He was kneeling on the ground, screaming like his head was being cut off, begging to be allowed to accompany this harridan, promising to be the best boy ever there was. She kept saying, "No, no, I'm leaving you here. I don't want a boy as bad as you" until she caught sight of me, glaring at her with shock and venom.

I don't care what the law says, that's child abuse. Bruises fade a lot more quickly than that ever will.

Sorry for the downer story ... just wanted to say I understand!

[beowabbit]

Oh, and THANK YOU SO MUCH for being the person who does something to help instead of just spectating.

[chienne-folle.livejournal.com]

Seconded!

*applause*

[maps-or-guitars.livejournal.com]

You done good.

[thesynergizer.livejournal.com]

:sobs:

mare you are such a wonderful person. as a mama who has lost her child in public on more than one occasion (usualy not for more than 45 seconds though) i am so grateful that there are people like you in this world. so very grateful.

thank you, on behalf of all of the other mothers in the world, for helping that little boy. thank you thank you thank you.

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

*wince* Poor kid. I'll bet he will remember your kindness and concern. Good on you for looking after him when he needed it.

[aphrabehn.livejournal.com]

You are such an awesome person, truly! Forget, for the moment how horrible that mom was. So many people passed this poor kid by. THANK GOD you were the person who stopped and not some nutjob with a skeevy van.

And, back to the mom...you need a license to fish, as I say....

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

She had one in the carriage, you say? I remember when -- an active three year old and a baby, too. It was hard to keep them together. Thank God for more than one guardian angel like you who corralled the older "explorer" when I could not leave the baby unatttended.
That was a beautiful thing you did!

[minerva42]

You are good.

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

::loves you so much::

You showed Christopher a little kindness. You did what you could do. I hope that the Universe sends more people like you to him.

I'm sniffling now. I feel that little boy's pain. And yours.

[saxikath]

Thank you for caring enough to stop and help. That few minutes of kindness may make more difference in his life than you will ever know.

[moria923.livejournal.com]

Likewise. I hope Mommy was just frazzled and having a bad day, and that this isn't the way she usually treats Christopher. But this situation sounds much scarier.

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

I'd like to think that Mommy was scared, and the things she said to Christopher were things like "I was petrified to find you missing, and then to see you leaving with a stranger, when I've taught you always to never talk with strangers......". Perhaps her fright sounded turned into what you interpreted as anger.

At least you can hope. But on the bright side: Child is back with his mother, and has likely learned a lesson in being sure to keep track of her. Perhaps she even said "never let your eyes waver from looking at me" which is why he didn't look at you when you asked him if it was his mother.

You are a wonderful person.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I can only hope. I'll never know what she actually said to him. All I hope is that she loves him dearly.

[scholargipsy.livejournal.com]

You've got a very good heart. Compassion for strangers is in far too short supply, especially when not all kids get it from even their parents.

But next time, identify yourself to the kid as "Mary Sue." Much more soothing.

[majes.livejournal.com]

You did the right thing. Moreover, you likely made an impression on Christopher as to what is possible - a positive impression of what adults can be like - even if he doesn't necessarily have a good example in his own life. Thank you for showing the warm and wonderful way that people can be. We need more of you in the world.

[jasra]

I'm so glad that you found and talked to him! You made his day brighter. :) You have a good heart.